NMH Magazine 2019 Fall by Northfield Mount Hermon

Northfield Mount Hermon

Hundreds of NMH-made apple pies await runners during the 129th Bemis-Forslund Pie Race.

NMH Magazine FALL 2019 Volume 21, Number 1

Editor Jennifer Sutton P’14, ’21 Design Lilly Pereira Todd Verlander www.aldeia.design Class Notes Editor Kris Halpin Class Notes Design Harry van Baaren Print Production Pam Lierle P’17 Contributors Nicole Letourneau Tekla McInerney Susan Pasternack Emily Harrison Weir Director of Communications Sharon LaBella-Lindale P’17, ’20 Head of School Brian H. Hargrove NMH Magazine Northfield Mount Hermon One Lamplighter Way Mount Hermon, MA 01354 413-498-3247 nmhmagazine@nmhschool.org Class Notes nmhnotes@nmhschool.org Address Changes Northfield Mount Hermon Advancement Services Norton House One Lamplighter Way Mount Hermon, MA 01354 413-498-3300 addressupdates@nmhschool.org Northfield Mount Hermon publishes NMH Magazine (USPS074-860) two times a year in fall and spring. Printed by Lane Press, Burlington, VT 05402

CONTENTS

NMH Magazine FA L L 2 01 9

F E AT U R E S

18 An Eye for What’s Next

Curator Rujeko Hockley ’01 champions a new generation of contemporary artists.

24 Disrupting With Purpose

Head of School Brian Hargrove is thinking about NMH’s past, present, and future.

30 Witness

Immigration attorney Ashley LaRiccia ’05 serves clients who are afraid for their lives.

36 Object Lessons

NMH students share the things they value and love.

DE PARTME NTS

ON THE COVER Brian Hargrove PHOTO: CHATTMAN PHOTOGRAPHY LETTERING: MARK VERLANDER TABLE OF CONTENTS PHOTOS: CHATTMAN PHOTOGRAPHY, CAROLYN VOAGEN NELSON, GLENN MINSHALL

3 4 6 8 13 14 16 44 48 96 97

Leading Lines Connect Postcard Lamplighter Way First Person In Class A Conversation With ... Alumni Hall Class Notes History Lesson Giving Back

“In AP Computer Science, we studied how there can be racial bias in algorithms. That wowed me.” SHAMEEK HARGRAVE ’20, New Jersey Resident Leader, community volunteer, NMH Habitat for Humanity club co-leader

NMH students are learning to act with humanity and purpose. Heart. That’s the uncommon denominator of an NMH education. Rigorous academics — with mind-stretching lessons in math, science, and humanities — are lifted by conversations about creating a better community and a far better world. Your gift, together with others, adds up to NMH student success. Make more “Wow!” moments. Give to the NMH Fund.

nmhschool.org/give

BY B RIA N H . H A RG ROVE , H EA D OF S C H OOL

LEADING LINES

The World Needs NMH. And NMH needs you. Northfield Mount Hermon’s origin story is unique. So, too, is our abiding commitment to the values that shaped those earliest days. We believe in each student’s potential. We believe our outstanding education should be accessible to those students who would benefit most from it. And we believe in our collective responsibility to serve and lead. As I’ve traveled across the country and around the world during the last few months, meeting members of the NMH family, I could see our school’s essential self again and again. The stories collide and resonate powerfully. One alum told me about his firstgeneration American grandfather, who was recruited to come to NMH while working on the Staten Island ferry. Another changed the banking industry as she ascended the ranks and became one of the first African American women on Wall Street. A current parent described how the school has opened up the world to his son — and, in turn, his whole family. A current student told me how he found his voice as a rower on the Connecticut River. And so many alumni cite the impact of their NMH workjobs on their lives. We are a school devoted to an ideal: that in supporting each individual’s path, we serve a collective good. Since the moment D.L. Moody founded Northfield Seminary for Young Ladies, we have challenged the established norms. Again and again throughout our history, we have sought to be a force for good by delivering an education that transcends the classroom experience. We nurture the value of hard work and exploration; we cultivate empathy and respect for diverse points of view; we sharpen critical-thinking skills; and we honor the principles of gratitude,

PHOTO: GLENN MINSHALL

generosity, equity, and inclusion as we challenge students to be their best selves. In short, we have held steadfast to what Mira B. Wilson, principal of the Northfield School for Girls from 1929 to 1952, characterized as our “pioneer spirit.” I want to be clear — this has not always been the easiest path. It has led to complexities — financial, organizational, and cultural — that other institutions have not had to explore. Yet our path also has fostered an institutional resilience and clarity that most schools lack. Our community knows well the purpose and impact of our mission. We recognize the power of the NMH experience in transforming lives. We take pride in being a school of opportunity. We also celebrate the impact of our alumni around the world. Now it is time to harness our school family’s devotion to our mission and impact. For NMH to thrive, we need our alumni and parents to engage fully in the life of our school as ambassadors, volunteers, and donors. This, I believe, will give us tremendous advantages as we continue to differentiate NMH in the years to come. As we embark on a new chapter in NMH’s history and soon, a new decade, I ask you to consider our school’s DNA. I ask you to think about your NMH story and how the school changed the course of your life. I ask you to reflect on NMH’s impact on our world. And I ask you to take action. Northfield Mount Hermon will thrive by leading as we have always done. Join with me as we honor our rich history, as we continue to disrupt with purpose in a world that very much needs NMH. [NMH]

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CONNECT

DEFEAT, THEN SUCCESS I enjoyed Maya Ribault’s story about finding plentiful goodness in her teacher after not making the AP English cut (First Person, Spring ’19). She obviously found success as a poet. Defeat may be a springboard. I had told my parents when I was 7 or 8 that I wanted to be a newspaper man. When I came to Mount Hermon as a junior, the call went out for new Hermonite reporter applicants. I had been a sports editor and reporter at my hometown school paper in the Berkshires, but I didn’t make the cut at The Hermonite. I was disappointed but I moved on. I enjoyed a happy two years on The Hill — teachers and coaches, laundry and kitchen work, Rope Pull and Sacred Concert. The school remains a favorite life experience, and the background Hermon gave me was invaluable for a journalist. You see, I never gave up that hope. As soon as I hit college, I jumped on its newspaper staff, and I did that for 40 satisfying years, as a reporter, editor, photographer, columnist, music critic, ombudsman, and coach for younger journalists. Ernest F. Imhoff ’55 Baltimore, Maryland

NMH Magazine

What’s something you became unexpectedly passionate about at NMH? Sy Asamaporn Chounchaisit ’14: My theater career started at NMH and I’m still kicking in the line! Elise Elderkin ’63: From my freshman year on, after helping my roommate with her math homework, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. From sophomore year, when I had Miss Sanderson for English, I knew I wanted to be an English teacher. Tim Heist ’16: Maple sugaring! David Stone ’65: Actually, manual labor. Being a “generalist” has been the best part of my life, and I’m helping my grandkids understand that there is dignity and value in all work. And their summer jobs are lucrative!

Students rubbed the nose of founder D.L. Moody’s bronze statue for luck in 1996. It’s a tradition that continues to this day at #NMH. #NMHalumni Margery Attwater Mosher ’63: It was near the entrance of Sage Chapel on the Northfield campus. His nose was shiny way back!

Linda Glover ’70: It worked! I’ve had a wonderful, lucky life so far …

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF SY ASAMAPORN CHOUNCHAISIT ’14, COURTESY OF NMH ARCHIVES, MONA SENO AND LAUREN SCOTT CORWIN, JOSEPH GARNETT JR./GETTY IMAGES, COURTESY OF MAGGIE FELLOWS ’09

NMH Farm Products

E MA IL /S OC IA L M E DIA

What can you do with plain white sneakers? Decorate them! Visual arts students entered a national contest sponsored by Vans (best known for their skateboarding shoes). This was their “local flavor” entry. #NMHarts #NMHexcellence #wearableart

Download an order form at www.nmhschool.org/studentlife/farm-program/order-farm-products or return a copy of this order form, along with a check payable to Northfield Mount Hermon, to: Farm Program, NMH, One Lamplighter Way, Mount Hermon, MA 01354. Please attach mailing instructions to your order. All prices include shipping. Please note: The minimum order for each mailing address is $25.

Name Address (please, no P.O. boxes) City

State

Zip

❑ day ❑ evening

Telephone

MAPLE PRODUCTS

QUANTITY

Maple cream

$15

Half pint syrup (Grade A)

$14

Pint syrup (Grade A)

$23

Quart syrup (Grade A)

$34

Half gallon syrup (Grade A)

$53

Pure maple sugar candy (One box contains two 1-oz. maple leaves)

FRUIT PRODUCTS Strawberry jam (8 oz.)

Oliver Drake ’06 of the Tampa Rays drove the internet wild with a pitch that almost broke the laws of physics.

Rower Maggie Fellows ’09 won silver and bronze medals for the U.S. at the Pan Am Games in Lima, Peru.

Strawberry jam (12 oz.)

$13

Seedless blackberry jam (8 oz.)

| 11 5 $13 Seedless blackberry jam Spring/Summer (12 oz.)

LAVENDER PRODUCTS Lavender lip balm

GET IN TOUCH Let us know what you think. Correspondence will be edited for length, clarity, and grammar, and should pertain to magazine content. All views expressed belong to the authors and do not necessarily reflect the policies and positions of NMH. Reach us at nmhmagazine@nmhschool.org.

Lavender hand cream

$3 Spring/Summer | 11

$12

TOTAL

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A SNA P SH OT FROM CAM PUS

Faster, Higher, Stronger, Louder NMH’s annual Hogolympics is part pep rally, part sporting event — a competition among dorms in which those with strong lungs and fine motor skills triumph. Students don colorful shirts and go head to head: Who can ride a bike the slowest? Assemble a tiny puzzle the fastest? Run a relay race while holding aloft a ping pong ball on a dinner plate? Here, the residents of North Wallace belt out their support. They were loud. They were proud. But winning is only part of what Hogolympics is about, according to Jakob Curtiss ’20. “It’s just a good time to come out and show togetherness,” he said.

NMH Magazine

PHOTO: GLENN MINSHALL

A S N A P S H OT FROM T H ORN DIK E FIE L D

POSTCARD

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STORIES/N EWS FROM CAM P US

LAMPLIGHTER WAY

Rallying for Climate Justice NMH students walked out of classes on Sept. 20 in solidarity with young people around the world who were demanding action from government leaders to protect the planet and its inhabitants from the dangers of climate change. “Together, we demand an end to the age of fossil fuels, and climate justice for everyone,” declared Madeleine Yang ’21, who is one of NMH’s Ecoleaders — students charged with educating the campus community about environmental issues. Yang addressed close to 250 students, faculty, and staff who gathered in front of Beveridge Hall. Yang and her fellow Ecoleaders organized the strike with NMH’s Interfaith Council, students who represent different religious and spiritual traditions on campus. It was one of thousands of climate strikes in cities, towns, and campuses around the world, galvanized by Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, 16, who last year started protesting

NMH Magazine

her government’s inaction on environmental issues. In addition to the walkout, the Ecoleaders organized a campus letter-writing campaign to pressure U.S. policymakers to do more at the state and federal levels. They also asked their teachers to dedicate class time to climate-related topics during the week after the strike. As the walkout drew to a close, Head of School Brian Hargrove spoke in support of the students’ efforts. “I want you to be able to give your children a cleaner earth than you inherited,” he said. Yang was pleased to hear from Hargrove. “It’s important for us as students to have a voice, but it’s also important for us to see our teachers and other adults showing leadership on climate change,” she said.

L AM P L IG H T E R WAY

SHIRLEY CHISHOLM WAS HERE This year marks the 50th anniversary of the swearing-in of the late Rep. Shirley Chisholm of New York, the first black woman elected to the U.S. Congress. In 1984, shortly after she retired from her post, she spoke at NMH. The speech was “dynamic,” according to an account in The Bridge by Kit Gattis ’87. Chisholm “implored the students of NMH to open their minds to the political issues of [the] time” — the 1984 presidential election, the war in Central America, and the impact of U.S. Supreme Court decisions on the lives of Americans. Another Bridge reporter, Allison Freeman ’85, captured mixed reactions from students and faculty: Some thought Chisholm connected well with students, others thought her views were “too radical” or full of “propaganda.”

Chisholm was a pioneer during her seven terms in Congress. She was a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus, a key architect of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and a champion for the rights of domestic workers. In 1972 she became the first black candidate for a major party’s presidential nomination and the first woman to seek the Democratic Party’s nomination. After leaving Congress, she taught sociology classes at Mount Holyoke College and spoke at colleges throughout the country, advocating for social justice and urging young people to get involved in the political process. “Eternal vigilance,” she said during her NMH talk, “is the price we must pay for liberty.”

Wise Words Dean of Faculty Bea Garcia often begins faculty meetings with words that no one has ever heard of. She calls them “untranslatable” — words that don’t have an equivalent in English and other languages. Here are a few favorites.

FIKA (SWEDISH) A break from work that involves coffee or tea. It happens no matter how busy people are, and business matters are not discussed. You chat and get to know people above and below you in the office hierarchy. Democracy and community in a beverage!

GOYA (URDU)

ARIGATA-MEIWAKU (JAPANESE)

The suspension of disbelief, typically associated with powerful storytelling, that happens when a fantasy is so realistic that it temporarily becomes reality.

When someone does something for you that you didn’t want them to do, but you are still expected to express gratitude.

IKTSUARPOK (INUIT) The anticipation when you’re expecting someone and you constantly check to see if they’re coming.

MERAK (SERBIAN) A feeling of bliss and fulfillment that accompanies the pursuit of small, daily pleasures.

PHOTOS: PAM LIERLE, THOMAS J. O’HALLORAN/U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPOR T, VERA KUTTELVASEROVA

BUGS FOR LUNCH Crickets in your chocolate chip cookies? Sprinkled on your salad and pizza? Or straight from hand to mouth, like popcorn? In a quest to promote “environmentally positive” foods, NMH nutritionist Carrie Quimby P’07 set out bowls of tiny roasted crickets and mealworms and chocolate chip cookies made with cricket flour during lunch one day last spring. “Most of the world eats insects,” Quimby pointed out. “They have lots of protein and can be raised in a very sustainable way.” Reactions focused on taste and texture rather than on any underlying nutritional and environmental benefits: “airy,” “dry,” “like a hot dog rolled in dirt.” Simon Lim ’22 said, “They look a little weird, but they actually taste better than chips.” In Alumni Hall, Director of Dining Services Rich Messer P’06, ’13, ’16 made a pitch for the cheesy ranch and bacon-flavored crickets and mealworms as students streamed in for lunch. “Come on, be brave!” he urged. Looking on, Quimby called the experiment a win. “We’ve got a young crowd here, and I suspect a lot of them are adventurous and interested in trying something new.”

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LAMP LIG H T E R WAY

The Art of Compassion NMH got a lesson in impermanence when six Buddhist monks from the Drepung Loseling Monastery in India spent five days creating a sand mandala on campus — and then wiped it away. Using traditional tools called chak-pur, they painstakingly funneled millions of grains of colored sand into a design that represented the world in its divine form. Hours after the artwork was completed, the monks dismantled it with brushes and their hands, gathered up the sand, and tossed it into Shadow Lake. According to the monks, the dismantling process highlights the transitory nature of life and disperses healing energy into the world. Ten years ago, NMH hosted a similar group of Buddhist monks. This time around, the visit was part

NMH Magazine

of a “Week of Compassion” on campus sponsored by the religious studies and philosophy department. The week also included a panel discussion with representatives from several spiritual traditions, and keynote remarks by Dr. Wilfredo Giordano-Perez ’04 about his experience walking the Camino de Santiago, a centuries-old pilgrimage route in Spain. The mandala the monks created was devoted to Avalokiteshvara, the Buddha of compassion, says Pete Masteller, chair of the religious studies and philosophy department. The goal of the event, he says, was to support the school’s mission of engaging the compassion of students. Not everyone saw it that way. Some of NMH’s Chinese students felt the monks’ presence on campus indicated that NMH supported Tibetan independence from China, which contradicts the Chinese government’s position. Religious studies teachers told The Bridge, a student publication, that NMH was promoting learning, not adopting a political stance. And Dean of Global, Experiential, and Community Engagement Angela Yang-Handy added that while it is difficult to “have your truth challenged,” it is important for NMH community members to “listen to positions and opinions that aren’t familiar.”

L AM P L IG H T E R WAY

Historic Success at the Head of the Charles At the Head of the Charles Regatta (HOCR) in October, NMH’s girls’ varsity boat placed second out of 85 teams and first among independent schools in the women’s youth fours race. It was the best HOCR finish in the history of the girls’ rowing program — a performance that NMH coaches called “focused,” “brave,” and “aggressive.” It was the most recent accomplishment for the rowing program this year since it shifted from racing eights in the New England Interscholastic Rowing Association (NEIRA) to racing fours. The NEIRA fours league is larger and more competitive, but at the 2019 NEIRA Championships last spring, three NMH boys’ boats finished fourth, including the boys’ first varsity four, which missed the podium by just three seconds. The NMH girls landed sixthand seventh-place finishes. To help propel the program to the elite fours level, NMH partnered with

From left: Katie Gatza ’20, Eliza Atwood ’20, Thalia Hardman ’21, Lena Smalla ’20, and Bente Bechtold ’20 rowed a “brave” and “focused” race on the Charles River.

several families to purchase 10 new racing shells. While NMH’s novice rowers continue to use eights to develop their skills, the new boats are part of a larger effort to elevate the program. New docks were installed last year and the Draper Riverhouse, named for the late Tom Draper ’60, is expected to open next year, providing

indoor training space and two boat bays for storage. This year, NMH rowing alumni are competing in top collegiate programs, including Columbia, MIT, Northeastern, Princeton, Syracuse, the U.S. Naval Academy, the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of Washington.

FROM NMH TO THE ALL-AMERICA CUP Khamari Culcleasure ’20, NMH’s four-year varsity goalkeeper, joined the top 40 male and top 40 female high school soccer players in the country for the 2019 Allstate All-America Cup in Florida in July. He trained with coach Taylor Twellman, the former Major League Soccer and U.S. men’s national team member, before competing in Orlando’s Exploria Stadium. Charlie Malcolm, one of Culcleasure’s NMH coaches, watched the All-America Cup game on ESPN. He says, “Not only did Khamari get invited to play in the game, he also looked like the best player on the field. It was obvious that he has worked so hard. Being in a game like that magnified his growth.” Culcleasure, who’s from Alexandria, Virginia, has anchored an NMH defense that racked up 12 shutouts in 2018. Two years ago, he was named to the U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team. The All-America Cup was a huge source of pride, but he says that as soon as it was over, he tried to stop thinking about it. “I’m part of a team, and without my team, I wouldn’t have gotten that recognition. What I achieve individually is not going to serve us very well if I focus on it too much.” Still, Culcleasure says, “it was great to be able to represent NMH well.”

PHOTOS: CHATTMAN PHOTOGRAPHY, GRACE BRIGGS ’19, POLINA SHKARUPA ’20

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LAMP LIG H T E R WAY

SUMMER SCHOOL NMH faculty members are intellectually on the job even when they aren’t teaching. During the summer, they attend workshops and classes; they develop new courses and projects; they gather class material to inspire their students. Dean of Faculty Bea Garcia says her colleagues want “to grow and become better teachers, no matter where they are in their careers.” Whether they gain new insights in a workshop on the other side of the country or in a research project right here on campus, the process, Garcia says, is “re-energizing.”

NMH Magazine

ILLUSTRATION: JESSICA MCGUIRL / PHOTO: COUR TESY OF OLIVIA WOLPE

FIRST PERSON

The In-Between Years DEBT, PEANUT-BUTTER CRACKERS, AND MAKING A LIVING

BY OLIVIA WOLPE ’11

I’m going to be honest with you: 26 doesn’t look like I thought it would. First, I’ve peed my pants more than I ever imagined. My doctor said it’s because I am easily distracted and therefore ignore warning signs from my body. The same thing happens to 5-year-olds. My doctor had me set an alarm every two hours as a reminder to sit on the toilet. Normally, she explained, she would have a parent set an alarm, but in my case, she thought my Fitbit would suffice. You know, because I’m an adult. I blew through my four years at NMH with gusto and both eyes on the future. I took Arabic, and APs, and could practically taste my mid-20s. Would I have a college degree? Check. A job? Obviously. Would I be blossoming into womanhood and on a direct road to a favorable future? You better believe it. Want to know what I’m actually doing? I drive around with a car seat in the back of my car and 32 packets of baby wipes on my body at all times. I make timely school drop-offs at 8 a.m. I sleep in a tiny bedroom adjacent to three kids’ rooms, which provides just as much privacy as you might expect. Yes, I work as a nanny. You might be wondering how someone who can’t hold their bladder is in charge of children. But I nanny because I left college with more than $63,000 of debt. I know that life will be complicated enough without having to pay off loans for years and years, so I put everything on pause. And I am lucky. As a white person with a good education, I’ve been able to prioritize becoming debt-free. But I still wake up every day to an internal battle of judgment. I feel like I’m not enough of a go-getter, that I don’t want success as badly as my peers. They are out trying new

things and finding fulfillment while I’m preparing peanut-butter crackers for snack time for the 397th day in a row. A few years ago, I took over this magazine’s alumni column for the Class of 2011. It has been delightful to hear what people are up to, but what I did not love, initially, was hearing solely from alums ticking off accomplishments every six months. So I opened up my request for news and asked classmates to also share stories of embarrassment and failure. Suddenly, a whole new group began responding. It has been a joy to honor the ups and downs — the reality — of what these in-between years mean to us. But amid the promotions, pink slips, wedding announcements, and apartment evictions, I wasn’t sure how to categorize my own in-between years. Being a childcare provider is arduous and unrelenting, and my hat goes off to people who work in the field. I knew from the start, though, that it wasn’t for me. Yes, I’m paying off debt, but that lacks the wow factor of pursuing something you love — and the cool factor of a real failure. And as someone whose defense mechanism is humor, my instinct is to make debt funny. But debt simply isn’t funny. Recently, after working six days a week for three years, I was officially declared debt-free. With my final days as a nanny in sight, I can practically taste the hedonism that will soon be part of my life. Still, there was almost a comfort in having such a singular goal. My path was straight. Now the road ahead is gnarled, unpaved, with forks and frost heaves. A mess of confusion surely awaits. But boy, am I looking forward to it.

“I drive around with a car seat in the back of my car and 32 packets of baby wipes on my body at all times.”

At press time, Olivia Wolpe had left the childcare field and was heading to Colorado in a van.

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IN CLASS

“I’m pushing students to experience what they’re reading, to pay attention to the diction, the phrasing, the images, and to bring it alive with their imagination.”

Read. Notice. Repeat. Looking for humanity in literary characters. B Y JENNIFER SUT T O N

“Dear Outcasts.” That’s how English teacher David Dowdy often began group emails to one of his senior English classes last spring. It was funny, according to Leah Leslie ’19, a recipient of the emails — and oddly inclusive. “He’d sign the emails ‘the biggest outcast,’ like he was pointing out that we’re all outcasts in a way,” she says.

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The class, appropriately titled “Outlaws, Outcasts, and Castaways,” is a relatively new addition to NMH’s English department. It dives into literature in which characters exist outside mainstream society, such as the classic novels Native Son, by Richard Wright, and Alias Grace, by Margaret Atwood, and the more recent nonfiction Stranger in the Woods, in which a hermit survives for decades in a Maine forest by stealing food and supplies, and Educated, the memoir by Tara Westover, who grew up in rural Idaho with a domineering, doomsday-prepping father who didn’t believe in education outside the home. Dowdy inherited the class several years ago from another teacher and is gradually making it his own. “The question I keep raising with the students is, ‘Are

I L L U S T R AT I O N : D A N PA G E / P H O T O : G L E N N M I N S H A L L

we always at an advantage being in the mainstream? Or is it sometimes a liability?’” he says. “I think everybody’s got an experience somewhere in their life of being on the outside. For some, it’s painful. For others, it’s kind of liberating.” He points to Chris Knight, the hermit in Stranger in the Woods, who wakes with the sun and structures his life around nature. “He’s saying to us, ‘If I don’t have a cellphone and sit behind a computer, am I the one living an unnatural life?’” What’s liberating for Dowdy is the very act of reading these books. “I spent a lot of time asking students to picture what the writer is saying, to animate it,” he says. He compares reading to going to a baseball game. “I can read about yesterday’s game, and get the score and somebody else’s highlights. That’s gathering information. Or I can go to the game, which involves a much higher level of participation and emotion. Even more than that would be to get down on the field and play. So I’m pushing students, I hope, to experience what they’re reading, to pay attention to the diction, the phrasing, the images, and to bring it alive with their imagination.” When students do that, they connect the characters they’re reading about to their own lives. During a class discussion of Educated, the subject of college comes up: Tara Westover’s dogmatic father defines it as “extra school for people too dumb

to learn the first time around.” Connor Hasley ’20 takes offense. “College is a choice, and people go into a lot of debt for it, so they have to think a lot about what they’re doing, and that’s not dumb,” he says. Isa Maguire ’19 adds, “To call something or someone dumb is subjective. We probably see him as dumb because he thinks the apocalypse is coming.” True, Dowdy says. But to hear another perspective, to have another person’s understanding — it makes us more thoughtful, doesn’t it? “Students can be very quick with their opinions,” he says. “They might see a particular word or phrase, and say, ‘I know what’s happening here. This guy’s a racist’ or ‘this guy’s a this,’ or ‘this woman’s that.’” His response is: Hang on. Read again. What’s happening underneath? Leah Leslie found this process eye-opening. “Now I’m uncomfortable using the words ‘strange’ or ‘weird’ or ‘freak’ when I talk about a person’s story that is different from my own because it’s like I’m taking away the humanity of their story,” she says. “It all goes back to how deeply you’re reading,” Dowdy says. Which also means, how closely you’re observing. Throughout the course, Dowdy gives his students exercises to sharpen their observation skills. In one, he takes them on a walk around campus to explore the under-the-radar nooks and crannies — memorial plaques, the highest point of land, the

Teacher: David Dowdy Years at NMH: 37 Other Courses: “Big Books” (Senior English), World Literature, Speech and Oral Interpretation, Catholic confirmation (extracurricular) Education: B.A, Wheaton College (Illinois); M.A. in English, University of Michigan Before NMH: Director of technical theater, Wheaton College; English teacher, Elgin Academy Fun Fact: In 2005, he advised a student club that explored a different campus turret, tower, or tunnel every weekend.

mysterious stone design embedded in the ground between Schauffler Library and Cutler Science Center. “The idea is to always keep your eyes open,” Dowdy says. “Look, notice, show what you’re seeing, and then, when you’ve earned the right to draw a conclusion, draw a conclusion.” “I can’t believe I’ve been here four years and never noticed this stuff,” concluded Helen Gordon ’19 during the campus walk. “All I had to do was look around.” [NMH]

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A THE CONVERSATION WORD WITH …

Jake Morrow Director of the NMH Farm

Jake Morrow grew up in the manicured town of Princeton, New Jersey; earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in classics, and studied with the chief Latinist at the Vatican in Rome. But the place where he felt most at home as a kid was his grandmother’s old farm in the mountains of western Pennsylvania, and as he got older, he was drawn to working outside, with his hands. He says, “I always had these disparate urges.”

NMH Magazine

“I love walking around in the morning before anyone gets here, taking stock of everything that’s going on.”

WHY CLASSICS When Morrow was 14, he heard his mom’s friend and Princeton scholar Robert Fagles read from his muchheralded translation of The Odyssey. “I was sold. The story was just like me, just like the people I knew, except that it happened 2,700 years ago.” ABOUT- FACE Morrow had an epiphany when he was in graduate school at the University of Chicago. He lived in a sixthfloor apartment on the city’s south side and read ancient Greek and Latin literature

while across the street, kids played basketball in a parking lot with a milk crate for a hoop. “It was as ivory tower as you could get. I thought, ‘What am I doing here?’” HEAD VS. HAND “I’d always been told, implicitly, by my education, that if you go to college, you should end up doing intellectual work, and if you end up doing manual labor, then you blew it. But that’s a fallacy. To do a good job as a farmer, I had to turn myself into a student of ecology and environmental history. I did farm work by day, and at night, I read books by Wendell Berry and Michael Pollan and Sir Albert Howard and Aldo Leopold — anything about farming and agriculture that I could get my hands on.”

WHY NMH “When I heard about this school in western Massachusetts that espouses education for the head, heart, and hand, I thought, ‘That’s what I’m looking for — a place where people value the work you do sweeping the floor or chopping vegetables in the kitchen as much as the arguments you make in a paper.’”

NEW CROP “I’m excited about the young orchard that we’ve planted. Apples have been part of the farm going back to the 1890s, but (former farm director) Richard Odman had to abandon the orchard because of concerns over pesticides. But organic orcharding has come a long way, so in four or five years, we’ll be making cider from our own apples again.”

GUIDEPOSTS “Farms are an invitation to pay close attention. I love walking around in the morning before anyone gets here, taking stock of everything that’s going on. It helps me keep in mind the three goals that we have: to care for the land; to involve students in everything we do; and to feed the community — to connect the community to the farm.”

HARK! “In the morning, I often get to see the sun rise, and I think of the first scene of Hamlet, when Horatio and Marcellus and Bernardo have just seen the ghost of Hamlet’s father and they’re terrified. But the sun rises and the ghost flees and Horatio says, ‘But look, the morn, in russet mantle clad, walks o’er the dew of yon high eastward hill.’ I just love that line. Sometimes I’ll say it out loud. Then I go back to shoveling manure.”

TEAM COMPOST “I love how the pieces come together. The horses pull the manure spreader to spread compost on the vegetable fields, and students help bring seedlings down from the greenhouse and plant them; then we harvest, and we get to see those vegetables in the dining hall. I like being part of this bigger whole.”

PHOTO: CHATTMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

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Whitney Museum curator Rujeko Hockley ’01 champions a new generation of contemporary artists. BY E M ILY H A RRISO N W E I R

NMH Magazine

PHOTO: CAROLINE VOAGE N NE L SON A R T W O R K : M A I A R U T H L E E , L A BY R I N T H , 2 0 1 9

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n the heart of New York City’s meatpacking district stands the Whitney Museum, a temple of contemporary art in the United States. Outside its soaring glass, steel, and concrete skin, visitors — a million every year — can see the High Line and the Hudson River. Inside, the museum’s storied Biennial exhibition took the pulse of American art for four months this year, as it has since 1932. Rujeko Hockley ’01 was co-curator of this painstakingly assembled cross section of what artists across the country are making right now. It was a high-profile, high-stakes assignment, quite a coup for the 35-year-old Hockley. “It was a huge honor to join this lineage of Biennial curators, but there was absolutely a lot of pressure,” Hockley admits. “It’s a crazy logistical project with lots of deadlines.” The Biennial is one of the Whitney’s most prominent events, and Hockley’s job was to honor the exhibition’s long and distinguished history while also serving the artists, which was her own personal mission. “Artists shape every part of our culture, yet they are among the most underappreciated members of society,” she says. “Being a curator is a way to create a platform that gets artists’ thoughts — which can literally change the world — out to more people. Visitors can have their thinking broadened and their worldview expanded and even challenged.” As nearly any living artist can testify, talent alone doesn’t get your work seen. Only a few get coveted exposure in a prestigious show like the Biennial. So Hockley deliberately used her curatorial power to throw wide the doors of opportunity and welcome an especially diverse group of American artists.

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The 2019 Biennial featured more than 300 pieces of art by 75 artists. More than half of the artists were female. Half were people of color. Nearly three-quarters were under 40. Few were household names. All got attention that could change their careers.

n a Tuesday in late June, the museum was closed to the public, and the empty galleries didn’t reflect the hundreds of thousands of visitors who filled the spaces during the Biennial’s May–September run. Behind the scenes, curatorial staff worked in rows of blond wood cubicles and glass-fronted offices with surprisingly art-free

walls. Much like her surroundings, Hockley’s look — basic black linen — is serene and spare. She laughs often and deflects attention from herself onto the artists. She conducts interviews — she’s done many this year because of the Biennial — in a white-walled conference room, keeping her office private despite her now very public role. Hockley’s work was anything but public for the nearly two years it took her and co-curator Jane Panetta to mount the Biennial. They

“We wanted the Biennial to feel ‘of this moment,’ and to reflect what’s happening sociopolitically in the U.S. right now.” Installation views of the Whitney Biennial 2019 Photography by Ron Amstutz Above left, left to right: Simone Leigh, Stick, 2019; Janiva Ellis, Uh Oh, Look Who Got Wet, 2019

spent about 14 weeks on the road together, visiting more than 300 artists’ studios in nine states and Puerto Rico. Panetta says that “Ru’s exceptional warmth, intellectual curiosity, and compassion for artists made this process both more engaging [for me] as her co-curator and one with a richer end result.” How to choose from the bounty of art they discovered? “We didn’t have a checklist,” says Hockley. “But we wanted to include primarily artists who had not been

in a Whitney Biennial before.” (Only five had been.) “We felt strongly that this platform should be as wide as the Biennial could sustain. If this exhibition can do anything, it can be a space to support people’s artistic practices. Jane and I were interested in being led by the artists.”

ockley learned to embrace new experiences and possibilities early in life. By the time she enrolled at NMH, she was

Above right: Daniel Lind-Ramos, Maria-Maria, 2019

already a world traveler. The only child of two international-development specialists — a Zimbabwean mother and British father — Hockley spent her childhood wherever her parents’ work took the family. That included Somalia, Barbados, and Malawi as well as Zimbabwe, New York City, and Washington, D.C.

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John Edmonds, Tête d’Homme, 2018

Hockley’s parents wanted a boarding school’s stability for 13-year-old Ru, as she is known. She initially resisted, but warmed to the idea when she found NMH more diverse and less restrictive than other schools she visited. “Suddenly I wasn’t considered a weirdo for my strange, peripatetic childhood,” she recalls. Hockley says NMH prepared her well for college, but what she remembers best is performing and choreographing with the NMH dance company. “It was one of the first places I was asked, ‘What do you think? Do you have an idea? Great; run with it!’” she says. “There was a sense of connection and camaraderie among us dancers, and it was a really empowering space creatively.” NMH dance program director Gretel Schatz P’19, ’21, ’23 recalls Hockley as a student with “spritely yet unflappable energy. She was enlivened by the creative process and brought a mature openness to making work,” says Schatz. “In the dance company, Ru was ready for anything.”

Maia Ruth Lee, Bondage Baggage Prototype 4, 2018

ockley had never even heard the term “art curator” before taking a required

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course as a Columbia University undergraduate. “When I took my first art-history class, I had this moment of realization that there was this whole field of study that encompassed all my interests,” she told a reporter for MM Lafleur. “Art history is about looking at people and the development of societies and cultures through the things that they make … I was very compelled by that. I was also very interested in social justice and politics and race, and art history involved studying those things, too.” Hockley parlayed her Columbia degree into a curatorial assistant position at the Studio Museum in Harlem. Two years later, she

risked that fledgling career by moving to Southeast Asia and teaching English for a year. Back in the U.S., Hockley started a Ph.D. program in art history, theory, and criticism at the University of California, San Diego. She completed the coursework, but before she started writing her dissertation, the Brooklyn Museum offered her a dream job — assistant curator of contemporary art. She couldn’t say no. A highlight of Hockley’s four years there was co-curating an exhibition of work by radical black women artists. It was well-received, and by 2015, she was showing up on lists of young curators to watch.

I M A G E S : C O U R T E S Y O F J O H N E D M O N D S A N D C O M PA N Y, N E W YO R K / M A I A R U T H L E E , J A C K H A N L E Y G A L L E R Y, A N D B R A D FA R W E L L / C O U R T E S Y O F WA LT E R P R I C E ; K A R M A , N E W YO R K , A N D M O D E R N I N S T I T U T E , G L A S G O W

The Whitney hired Hockley in March 2017, and by the end of that year, she and Panetta were chosen to organize the 2019 Biennial. Because of the museum’s long history and prominent reputation, the curators of each Biennial find themselves in critics’ crosshairs. Media reviews inevitably find each show too political or not political enough. Too specific or too broadbrush. Relevant only to art-world insiders or to tourists. Reviews of the 2019 Biennial ranged from “an elegant but safe portrait of right now” (Art News) to “the crème de la crème.” (Forbes Travel Guide). Hockley says she and Panetta “did what we set out to do.” She’s particularly proud of the sitespecific pieces created for the Whitney’s outdoor terraces, and the pieces that included dance, video, and other aspects of performance art. “We wanted it to feel ‘of this moment,’ and to reflect what’s happening sociopolitically in the U.S. right now,” she says. To wit: • Maia Ruth Lee’s Bondage Baggage Prototype 4 (opposite page) re-creates luggage used by migrant workers to comment on economic oppression. • Josh Kline places images of American power in brightly colored glass containers, then floods them with water as if victims of catastrophic climate change. • Alexandra Bell alters copies of New York Daily News coverage of the Central Park Five, highlighting its racist language. • Marcus Fischer’s untitled sound sculpture incorporates a vintage tape recorder spewing citizens’ fears on the eve of Trump’s inauguration. • Daniel Lind-Ramos’ sculpture Maria-Maria (p. 21) repurposes blue tarpaulins in a madonna-like memorial to the damage Hurricane

Walter Price, The things that horse ourselves for uncertainty, 2018

Maria did to Puerto Rico’s land and people. The biggest controversy of this Biennial wasn’t art, though; it was the vice president of the Whitney’s board of trustees, Warren B. Kanders. His company, the Safariland Group, manufactures tear-gas grenades that allegedly were used against would-be immigrants at the Mexican border. Artists, critics, and more than 100 Whitney staffers — including Hockley — called for Kanders’ resignation. In late July, eight artists asked that their work be pulled from the Biennial. Instead, Kanders went. The art stayed. “In a time deeply riven by identity politics and hypersensitivity to the inequities of race and class … the Biennial performs a delicate trick: It’s engaged and provocative without being pedantic or scolding,” noted a review in The Boston Globe. “It’s a place where traditional boundaries give way to an animating spirit of inclusion.”

ockley pulled off her own delicate balancing act while planning the Biennial: She was pregnant with her first child. Zenzele was born in February, and the exhibition opened in May. After 12 weeks of parental leave, Hockley returned to work, leaving Zenzele with her husband, conceptual artist Hank Willis Thomas, who works from home. “It was hard to leave my daughter, but I told myself, at least I’m going back for something that’s important to me and will hopefully be important in the art world, too.” Hockley’s next curatorial challenge is a survey of work by Ethiopian-American abstract painter Julie Mehretu, which opened in November at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. With that exhibit and in her work at the Whitney, she says it’s a privilege to share artists’ work with the public. “We are not talking only to ourselves,” she says. “We’re talking to the world.” [NMH]

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S T O RY B Y JENNIFER SUTTON PO RT R AI T S B Y C H AT T MA N P H O T O G R APH Y L ET T ER I N G B Y MA R K V E R L A N D E R

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In June, a few weeks before he officially started his tenure as head of school, he and his family came to NMH to drop off a couple carloads of their belongings, and he slipped out for a jog early one morning. “Want to see the route I found?” he asked later, happily pulling out his phone. Hargrove views his daily runs as a time to think and plan and take stock. At NMH, he prefers to run outside. He likes to look around and see what’s happening on campus, take in the expansive views and the stillness of the Connecticut River, say hello to other early risers. He likes to push himself on the hills, which hints at the energy and discipline he is bringing to his new job. Hargrove is exuberantly cheerful. He takes the stairs two at a time. He’s also straightforward. “I am not mysterious,” he says. “I stay to the facts and you’re always going to know where I stand.” He likes to talk with people, swap stories. Mostly what he wants to talk about these days is teamwork and collaboration — his partnership with his wife, Linda, and working together with his new NMH colleagues to celebrate the school and find opportunities to make it better. He is uncomfortable with the fact that this story is about him. “Ego is a barrier to good work,” he says.

Hargrove’s goal for this year, as he told faculty in late May, is to establish himself as a “servant leader” for NMH. “I am going to fight relentlessly for our students and for all of you,” he said. He wants to meet one on one with employees, parents, and alumni; visit classes and sports practices and choir rehearsals; shadow

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teachers and students. He wants to immerse himself in the school’s culture and get a better handle on its strengths and challenges. “There are nearly 30,000 NMH alumni out there, most of whom would say this place helped launch them, so there is tremendous work happening here,” he says. “I believe that NMH’s greatest

endowment, its secret weapon, is its people. My biggest task right now is to understand what makes them — us — tick.” Before he even sat down at his desk in Holbrook Hall, Hargrove understood this: NMH has a history of disrupting the status quo. “It’s in our DNA,” he says. “D.L. Moody was not doing what other people were doing. He was focused on serving people who weren’t being served, and doing it with such effectiveness that there was no diminution of the quality of the experience.” That history is partly what drew Hargrove to NMH. It’s a story he wants NMH to be able to tell about itself again, today and for decades to come. “I want to make sure that kids who should be at NMH can be here,” he says. “It’s not enough to be a really good independent school. There are a lot of those. We need to be different, to follow our disruptive history. I think we can do that.” The other factor that drew Hargrove to NMH was what he and Linda saw as soon as they started visiting campus. “Every time we came, students engaged with me, they looked me in the eye and said, ‘Hi,’ and they were smiling. Kids don’t smile if they’re not known, if they’re not loved, if they’re not being met where they are. That is the most important thing.”

argrove is the youngest of four boys, born in Bonham, Texas, a small town just south of the Oklahoma border. His mother was a teacher and his father was a minister who changed careers and went into real estate when Hargrove was a toddler. The family moved to a Dallas suburb, where Hargrove spent much of his childhood with a pack of neighborhood kids, riding bikes to the local athletic fields and to the 7-Eleven for Slurpees.

The family’s income fluctuated with the real estate business, so they often relied on Hargrove’s mother’s teaching salary. Finances got especially tight when the economy crashed in the mid1980s, but even then, Hargrove’s parents were drumming the idea of philanthropy and service into their sons. Hargrove recalls, “They talked about different ways we could support our community, and they always said that the best thing about having money, even a little money, was giving it away.” Hargrove’s parents also taught their sons how to wrestle with ideas. Hargrove’s maternal grandfather, David Cheavens, was an Associated Press reporter and bureau chief in Texas, then chair of the journalism department at Baylor University; the family had a tradition of reading the newspaper together, and arguing about what they read. Other relatives, Hargrove says, were preachers, teachers, and farmers. The ideas that education is the only thing that can’t be taken away from a person, that families stick together and share a purpose, that how you take care of a place matters — these were the cornerstones of Hargrove’s young life. Hargrove was a late bloomer during junior high and not particularly athletic, which can be rough in Texas, where football is king. He channeled his energy into a youth group at the Lutheran church his family attended, and soon became its president. “That’s where I started to find my conviction, and a strong voice,” he says. His family was rooted in the Dallas school system — his mother taught English and in a gifted-and-talented program, and his brothers all went to public high school — but his parents enrolled him at St. Mark’s School of Texas, a private boys’ school. They had been horrified the previous year

Hargrove with his wife, Linda, and their kids: (from left) Mac, Faith, Mary-Claire, and Lois (and Ranch the dog).

when one of his middle-school math teachers recommended that Hargrove stay away from algebra “because it would be a challenge,” and an English teacher assured them that she would keep writing assignments to a minimum. St. Mark’s was a giant academic leap. “All of a sudden, I was in this crazy academic environment with people who swam really fast and had a lot more training than I did,” Hargrove says. But his mother helped him with writing assignments — “she was the best teacher I ever had,” he says — and he also started to grow, so he joined the football and wrestling teams. Being a reliable teammate was

important to him. “I had a sense of ‘This is right, this is wrong; this is what’s been asked of us; this is what we’ve committed to.’” In 1987, when the economy nosedived during Hargrove’s senior year, his parents scraped together tuition money so he could graduate. “It was a real family sacrifice for him to be able to continue as a student,” says David Dini, a longtime friend who has worked at St. Mark’s for 25 years, the last five as its head. Hargrove went on to Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania, where he studied political science, history, and Spanish; briefly wrestled; and was elected president of the student body. His financial aid

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Hargrove met alumni at a welcome reception in New York last spring.

Hargrove followed a similar philosophical path. He called up the president of Gettysburg College, whom he’d gotten to know when he was student body president, and asked for a job. He had already earned an M.B.A. from Texas State University in one year, traveled alone through Europe and Asia for six months, and worked briefly for his brothers in Dallas. Gettysburg had just launched a major fundraising campaign, and Hargrove joined it, going out on the road to meet with alumni and talk about a school he loved and felt he could help. He was 23.

package seesawed with the family’s income, so he helped pay for school by working nearly every student job available on campus. He made fundraising phone calls, drove shuttles, read textbooks to a blind student, gave admission tours, and picked up shifts in a coffee shop called the Bullet Hole. “I was used to work,” he says. In junior high and high school, Hargrove got yardwork and poolcleaning jobs; even in third grade, he’d been entrepreneurial. “I would say to another kid, ‘I’ll give you two pencils for that pen,’ and I would build my inventory. Then I’d say, ‘OK, everyone, come on over to my desk and let’s see what we’ve got.’” Pursuing opportunities, getting people onboard with this project or that project — it’s what Hargrove had watched his father do. As a teenager, he often tagged along when his father went to work. “We never kicked the soccer ball around or played catch. Instead, we walked property. When he was leasing 30-story office buildings, I would show the space. I knew all the people working on the crew.”

n his six years at Gettysburg, Hargrove relished what he called “mission drive.” He referred to the same idea when he spoke to NMH faculty last spring. “This work that we get to do is sacred,” he said. “We get to change the world, one student at a time.” It was that feeling, that calling, that he knew he wanted to return to. He had left Gettysburg to try something new: working for a New

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PHOTO: AMY THOMPSON

York City executive-recruiting firm, where he quickly became a partner and vice president. He also met and married Linda Caire, a Louisiana native who had just finished law school in New Orleans and gotten a job on Wall Street. September 11 changed everything. “We knew we wanted to have a family,” Hargrove says, “and we wanted it to happen near one of our families.” The couple moved back to Dallas. Hargrove started an architectural salvage business and then sold it, then joined a company that provided data services to colleges and independent schools. It wasn’t quite the mission he was looking for, but at least it was connected to education. In 2004, St. Mark’s, his old high school, where he had volunteered for years, asked him to take over its development office. He had already established a scholarship fund at St. Mark’s in honor of his parents and what they did to keep him in school there. “Brian wanted to expand accessibility for other students into the future,” says Dini, who hired Hargrove. “He has this innate motivation to advance the common good.” On campus, the two men worked in adjoining offices at the top of a staircase, and Dini could literally hear Hargrove coming into work every day. “He’d be whistling and saying, ‘Good morning! Good morning! Good morning!’ A lot of people thought, ‘He can’t be serious. He’s putting on a show.’ And I’d say, ‘With Brian, there is no show.’ There is nothing inauthentic about him. He has boundless energy and passion.” At St. Mark’s, Hargrove helped raise $110 million in eight years. In 2012, he moved on to Mercersburg Academy in Pennsylvania, where, as assistant head of school for advancement and communications, he led a $300 million capital campaign. Katie Titus, the head of Mercersburg,

says, “What I appreciated about Brian was that he would challenge the norm, and it was always, always, always to make the school better. He was the one to question, to say, ‘Hey, I’m not suggesting we need to change this, but let’s ask ourselves why we’ve been doing it this way.’” Titus calls Hargrove a collaborator who “will work tirelessly to serve the school.”

espite Hargrove’s record as a fundraiser, he sees his role at NMH extending far beyond that. “I was hired to be head of the whole school,” he says. “Yes, I’ll be out there building connections with alumni, parents, and friends, but I also will be on campus, seeking to understand and support what the faculty and students are doing — what we are all doing.” When NMH launched its search for a new head in the spring of 2018, some of Hargrove’s friends urged him to make himself a candidate. “I told them I wasn’t interested in a New England boarding school that’s all about being a New England boarding school,” he says. “They told me, ‘That’s not NMH.’” The more he and Linda got drawn into the search process, the more they saw a school uniquely positioned to carve out a different path from other schools. “Moody was disrupting with purpose when he started Northfield and Mount Hermon 140 years ago,” he says. “How are we going to disrupt with purpose as we think about the next 140 years?” That’s a huge question. To answer it, Hargrove plans to spend much of this year listening and learning. He’s already gotten a decent start, according to Sheila Heffernon, director of NMH’s music and choral programs. “I’ve noticed how Brian moves beyond

polite conversation and is ready to delve into the personal,” she says. “I think this is how he has learned so much about NMH and the people who work here so quickly.” Hargrove says, “It’s clear that people are deeply committed to this place. But often you’re committed to your own version of a place, the one that you see. What about the one that we can all see together? After I understand those common threads, then I can figure out what we can point to, as a group, and say, ‘These are our priorities.’” Hargrove believes that one of those priorities should be strengthening financial aid. He met an NMH alum who told him about his childhood in Egypt during the 1950s and the religious crackdown that instilled fear in Coptic Christian families like his. The alum’s father had heard of NMH, and called the school. His son needed to get out of the country, he said. The family couldn’t pay anything. Could NMH help? The answer that came back from the school was, Yes. Send him. Hargrove shared this story with the faculty last spring. “If I got that call today, I could not say yes so easily,” he says, acknowledging the school’s limited financial-aid budget. “I’m not OK with that. None of us should be. So we’ve got work to do. Let’s get on with it.” [NMH]

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BORDER WALLS, TRAVEL BANS, FAMILY SEPARATIONS, NEVER-ENDING POLITICAL BATTLES — THE U.S. IMMIGRATION SYSTEM IS BROKEN, WITH MILLIONS OF LIVES AT STAKE. IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY ASHLEY LARICCIA ’05 DOESN’T KNOW HOW TO FIX IT. BUT EVERY DAY, SHE TRIES.

STORY BY

Jennifer Sutton PHOTOS BY

Stephen Voss

NMH Magazine

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ast October, immigration attorney Ashley LaRiccia walked across the U.S.-Mexico border in Nogales, Arizona, and listened to a Honduran grandmother tell a story of murder and escape. The woman told LaRiccia how local drugcartel leaders shot her pregnant daughter and two granddaughters and left them for dead. One of the young girls survived, and the grandmother reported the incident to police, who did nothing. Afraid for her family’s lives, she and her husband, son-in-law, and surviving granddaughter fled north and walked for weeks to Nogales, hoping to find safety in the United States. She showed LaRiccia her granddaughter’s scars and photos of her murdered daughter. Later that night, LaRiccia wrote on Facebook, “I’ve heard many horrible stories over the years, but today I found myself fighting back tears, which rarely happens.” LaRiccia was volunteering temporarily with the Kino Border Initiative, a nonprofit advocacy group run by Catholic priests and nuns. She went back and forth between Arizona and Mexico for a week, providing immigration screenings and asylum orientations to migrants as they crowded together at the border. “It was chaos,” she says. “Everyone was just waiting. Families were sitting on the ground, and we had to walk right by them. We constantly felt like we were abandoning them. They’re vulnerable to violence and sex trafficking, but all we could do was explain the system and how to be prepared.” Most of the time, LaRiccia explains immigration laws from an office 2,000 miles away from Nogales, beyond the headlines about national emergencies and political battles, beyond the crisis of families being separated and detained at the border. She’s an attorney at Hogar Immigrant Services in Alexandria, Virginia, which is a part of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington, Virginia. She works with clients from Central and South America, the Middle East, and Africa, helping them apply for asylum, green cards, citizenship, and a host of other “statuses.” Her clients aren’t in immediate danger like the

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asylum seekers at the Mexican border, but their lives have grown increasingly precarious, and “there is so much fear,” she says. It used to be that mainstream politicians sounded the same when they talked about immigration, with neither Democrats nor Republicans being true immigrant advocates, LaRiccia says. Obama started the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program, but the policy of family detention began during his administration, and more people were deported when he was president than during any other administration. But “you didn’t feel as if the people in charge were anti-immigrant,” LaRiccia says. “The demonizing of people that we’re seeing and hearing now — that’s the scariest part.”

n Wednesdays, LaRiccia and her colleagues at Hogar Immigrant Services conduct “intake.” Immigrants and refugees who need legal help can show up without an appointment and wait to see an attorney. The consultations are free and last 45 minutes to an hour. If LaRiccia or another attorney takes the case, the clients pay a minimal fee, or, if they are unable to pay, none at all. Most of them cannot afford a private attorney. The Hogar office, in a nondescript building in a strip mall surrounded by highways, opens at 9 a.m. By 8, there are a dozen people lined up in a narrow hallway outside the door. If it’s raining, there are more, LaRiccia says. “A lot of our clients have construction jobs and they can’t work if the weather is bad.” Most of them are too wary to allow an outsider to observe their meetings at Hogar. But Martina (a pseudonym) agreed. She first sought assistance at Hogar in 2017. She came to the U.S. nearly 10 years ago from El Salvador, has a green card, and works full

LARICCIA MEETS WITH CLIENTS AT HOGAR IMMIGRANT SERVICES IN ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA.

“ONE THING YOU AREN’T TAUGHT IN LAW SCHOOL IS HOW TO TELL SOMEONE THEY’RE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR ANYTHING. OR THAT THERE’S NOTHING LEFT THAT YOU CAN DO.”

time at a restaurant. She’s meeting with LaRiccia to practice for an interview with the U.S. Department of Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) about her adult daughter who has severe Down syndrome. The daughter is eligible to become a U.S. citizen, but because of her disability, Martina is asking USCIS to exempt her daughter from the mandatory citizenship test and the recitation of the oath of citizenship. LaRiccia pretends to be a USCIS officer. “Has your daughter ever committed a crime?” she asks. “No,” Martina replies. “Has she ever had military training?” “No.” “Has she ever sold weapons?” “No.” “Has she ever worked in a prison?” “No.”

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WORKING THE PHONE ON BEHALF OF CLIENTS: “EVEN A MINOR CHANGE CAN HAVE A HUGE EFFECT ON SOMEONE’S LIFE.”

In fluent Spanish, LaRiccia describes for Martina how the interview will unfold. She also notes that interviews at the USCIS often run late, so it can take a while, and it’s best to be calm and patient. “I have to remind myself that the USCIS officers are overworked and they probably won’t see the file until 15 minutes before the interview,” LaRiccia says. “Getting annoyed and defensive doesn’t help anyone.” Yoselin (also a pseudonym), another client, comes from a Central American country that she and LaRiccia do not want to be identified. Yoselin is in her 20s, came to the U.S. on a tourist visa with her family when she was a small child, married an American, and is pursuing a bachelor’s degree. She currently holds DACA status, and wants to apply for a green card. The problem is that two decades ago, when she was a young child, her parents requested asylum but got confused about their court date and missed their hearing. Removal orders were issued for every member of the family. Now, that removal order is a major roadblock in Yoselin’s greencard application — and a constant source of fear. Yoselin’s story is a common one, LaRiccia says. And while the facts of the case are compelling — because Yoselin was so young when her removal order was issued — all DACA cases have been complicated by political battles over the border wall. “A few years ago, an immigration attorney would be able to talk to a government attorney and collaborate on a joint motion to reopen the case,” LaRiccia says. “The climate is different now. Even though Yoselin has it great compared to so many others, people like her are being used as bargaining chips.”

he dilemmas of immigration weren't part of LaRiccia's childhood in New Hampshire. After NMH, she went to Georgetown, thinking she’d become a diplomat. She changed her mind during a summer internship at the U.S. Consulate in the Dominican Republic. “Santo Domingo was a hot spot for immigration-visa fraud, and I got to observe and participate in interviews with married couples where the immigration officer suspected fraud. Often there was fraud, but there was also a lot of arbitrariness in the decision making. And I was really interested in the stories of the people who were trying to come to the U.S.” Back at Georgetown, LaRiccia signed up to take the law school admission exam instead of the foreign service exam. Following law school at the University of Maryland, LaRiccia won a two-year Equal Justice Works fellowship in Atlanta, where she worked with Lutheran Services of Georgia to build a program for unaccompanied migrant children. This was in 2014, right around the time of the first border crisis, when the number of children crossing into the U.S. from Central American countries jumped dramatically. She continued representing children at Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) in Baltimore, where some of her clients were coming to the U.S. to join family members they barely remembered. The work was hard. She says, “Try reuniting a 17-year-old boy with his parents when he’s never had parents before. Try telling him he has to go to school when he hasn’t been in school since he was 12.” LaRiccia joined Hogar two years ago, and is now the supervising attorney. Her clients can be suspicious of the legal community, but Hogar’s affiliation with the Catholic Diocese of Arlington helps. “A lot of our Central American clients are Catholic, so even though we’re not representatives of the church, they feel a sense of safety.”

So much so that they walk into LaRiccia’s office and unburden themselves. She says, “They understand right away: They have to tell us everything. Especially with asylum cases or cases that involve domestic violence. If they’re men, or if they’re single moms who have no time to talk to anyone or who don’t have friends here, I might be the first person they’ve talked to. Sometimes I wish I had a therapy background. Because for the first meeting with a client, I’m really just listening.” Many of LaRiccia’s clients from El Salvador and Honduras have “temporary protected status” (TPS), which is a short-term legal status and work authorization granted to people from specific countries following natural disasters such as earthquakes or hurricanes. For years, they have been allowed to renew their status every 18 months. Now the program is set to expire in January, and they are panicking. “These are people who have been in the country for 20 years or more,” LaRiccia says. “They’ve built lives here. They’ve gotten married, had children who are U.S. citizens; a lot of them have started businesses. We’ve let them take out loans and employ other people. We’ve taken their money in taxes. They’ve never gotten anything in return, except what they created themselves. They don’t receive public benefits like Medicaid. And now we’re just going to take their status away?”

aRiccia doesn’t claim to have answers. “I’m not a policymaker,” she says. “Our immigration system is a huge problem and it feels impossible to know where to start. But I would like our laws to respect the humanity of individuals.” Of the migrants trapped at the U.S.-Mexico border, she says, “You should not have to fight your case from inside a detention center that is run by a private prison and has terrible conditions, or from a makeshift refugee camp in Mexico.” Not every immigrant can come to the U.S., LaRiccia acknowledges. And countries must have

processes for admitting them. “But we will always have people who are willing to come here without documents because the situations they are escaping require that for survival. As long as there are jobs in the U.S., as long as Americans don’t want to pay for food picked by Americans earning a living wage, immigrants will come. They are desperate for a paycheck.” The climate of stress and fear in which LaRiccia’s clients live also takes a toll on her — a much lesser toll, to be sure, but, she says, “One thing you aren’t taught in law school is how to tell someone they’re not eligible for anything. Or that even though their application has been pending for two years, there’s nothing left that you can do.” To combat “vicarious trauma,” LaRiccia has begun participating in the American Family Therapy Academy’s Witness to Witness program — free counseling sessions for immigration attorneys and other “first responders.” She encourages her Hogar colleagues to do the same. “Because if we burn out,” she says, “that’s not helpful to our clients.” It’s also important to “celebrate small victories,” she says. Every Friday at Hogar, the attorneys meet to share positive developments, like when a client’s work permit gets approved. “Maybe it’s not an asylum win, but even a minor change can have a huge effect on someone’s life,” she says. Those positive moments are often a long time coming. When LaRiccia was working with migrant children in Georgia five years ago, she spent months navigating inhospitable state laws to help a 16-year-old Honduran girl obtain legal status in the U.S. through a special immigrant juvenile visa. “I didn’t think she understood how much I cared about her or how much work I did,” LaRiccia says. Last fall, the girl messaged her on Facebook. LaRiccia doesn’t Facebook-friend her clients, but the girl tracked her down and wrote, “Abogada” — lawyer — “I don’t know if you remember me, but something came in the mail, and I thought you might want to see it.” Attached was a photo of her new green card. [NMH]

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OBJECT LESSONS

A stuffed animal. A necklace. A Bible. A pair of Crocs. These are objects that a few NMH students cherish enough to bring with them from

home — things that calm them, make them happy, help them face the day. We invited NMH’s student leaders to answer the question: What’s your object? Here are some of their answers.

PORTRAITS BY

Chattman Photography INTERVIEWS BY

Jennifer Sutton

NMH Magazine

Blue Smith ’21 Mill Valley, California I got this squishy head in Japan when I was visiting my roommate. I like how absurd it is. I bought another one for my grandfather; he used to be a filmmaker and a painter, and I look up to him a lot. I like that we’re connected through our squishy heads.

Olisa Tasie-Amadi ’20 Port Harcourt, Nigeria I got this Bible when I was younger, but back then, I never really read it. Even though I have a Bible app on my phone now, I still keep this Bible because the physical object feels more sacred to me than an app. My religion is what I fall back on. It’s always been there.

Alex Litovchenko ’21 Moscow, Russia My grandmother bought me this ordinary sleeping pillow. Three days after she gave it to me, she ended up in the hospital, and she died two months later, from cancer. This pillow has been with me ever since. It reminds me of her, and it fits with one of my mantras — to see the extraordinary in ordinary things.

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Yudai Higuchi ’21 Yokohama, Japan At NMH, when I’d walk around in Crocs freshman year, everyone would be like, “Oh, I like your Crocs” or “Oh, you have Crocs, ha ha.” So I felt like Crocs became part of my identity.

Annika Voorheis ’20 Sunderland, Massachusetts

Daniella Weldon ’20 Melrose, Massachusetts

I wear these rings every day. One of them my grandma gave me, and the other one was my mom’s. I don’t plan on ever taking them off. Except maybe to pass them on.

This is my slime. I get distracted easily, and having something in my hand to move around and play with helps me stay focused in class. I have a few containers of it on hand: One is always in my backpack, and one is always in my desk drawer.

NMH Magazine

Kelly Cao ’20 Hong Kong I used to play the ukulele for my family a lot, and I would sing with my grandma. I taught my roommate how to play and now, when we’re both stressed out or even when we’re just in our room together, we have jam sessions. I have my ukulele, and she has a guitar. It can get kind of loud.

Alex Poplawski ’21 Sarasota, Florida I’ve been boarding my entire life — skateboarding, longboarding, surfing, wakeboarding, snowboarding. I just enjoy moving with different objects under my feet. Going fast and doing tricks is exhilarating. It’s like you’re in a different world.

Marcus Kinney ’20 Saudi Arabia and Lake Bluff, Illinois I really like listening to music if I’m walking alone. It kind of feels like I’m in a movie, and whatever I’m listening to is the soundtrack. At the moment, I’m really into Tom Petty. And Kanye West. I listen to podcasts, too.

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Celes Moon ’21 Seoul, South Korea, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia This teddy bear has been with me for the past 16 years, which is how old I am. When I’m stressed out, my bear is the first thing I hug. I talk to my bear, too, like it’s my diary. I’ll say, “How was your day? My day wasn’t great.” But I also go to my bear when I’m happy. Right before I go to sleep, I’ll give it a tight squeeze.

Stella Park ’20 Seoul, South Korea, and Pomfret, Connecticut I have worn glasses since I was around 6. I feel more secure when I’m wearing them. I feel more prepared.

Charlie McLaughlin ’20 Anchorage, Alaska This bow used to be my little sister’s. She came with my mom to drop me off at NMH when I was a freshman, and she left it by mistake. I put it in my desk drawer and it’s stayed there ever since. It’s a reminder that I love my family and I miss them. I’m one of 10 kids, and when a family has so many siblings, it’s hard to keep up with all of them.

Grier Calagione ’20 Lewes, Delaware In my first week at NMH, my grandfather got in a bicycling accident, and he died the next day. The day after that, I went to my mailbox, and there was this letter from him. It talks about how proud he is of me. It’s a little motivation that I read whenever I start to doubt my schoolwork.

Jack Brazer ’20 Peterborough, New Hampshire Swimming is a major part of my life, and I’ve had these practice goggles for about two years, which is an insane amount of time. They’ve become a part of who I am in practice. My favorite stroke is definitely freestyle. The 50 free. Also, the 100 breaststroke. I can’t really choose between them.

Mia Bacon ’20 Florence, Massachusetts In the summer, I work at a sleepaway camp. This year, I worked with 12-year-olds, and they made me these really cool friendship bracelets. Wearing them reminds me of my leadership abilities. But mostly, it was just a fun bonding activity. Whenever there was a thunderstorm, we would sit around a table and make bracelets.

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Natalie Foster ’20 Northfield, Massachusetts Hadyn Phillips ’21 Tokyo, Japan One of these necklaces used to be my mom’s, and the other has my initials engraved on it. My older sister Kenzie has one with her initials, too. We both got them for our 13th birthdays. At first, I refused to wear mine because I didn’t want to be girlie and I didn’t want to copy Kenzie. But now I wear them all the time.

One time, when I was 12, I was going to a dance competition. I got out of the car and looked down and there was a heads-up penny on the sidewalk. My mom said, “Pick it up, it’s good luck!” So I did — and my group ended up winning the competition! Before that, we had never won anything. Ever since then, when I find heads-up pennies on the sidewalk, I pick them up and carry them with me.

Dillon Stone ’21 Arlington, Virginia My mom gave me this T-shirt. It’s a reminder to stay positive, to try and influence the people around me in a positive way.

Chloe Key ’21 Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, and Ellijay, Georgia

NMH Magazine

My grandma gave this sweatshirt to me. It used to be hers. My parents live in Saudi Arabia, so my grandma’s house in Georgia is where I go during breaks, and she has been both my teacher and my biggest inspiration in life.

Eliza Atwood ’20 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania I’ve had this baby doll since I was maybe 2 years old. Its name is Caki. When I got to NMH, it was an immediate icebreaker with my roommate, and now, everyone who comes into our room, they know Caki. Some people think Caki is a boy. Some people think it’s a girl. I don’t really know.

Garrett Weil ’20 Chesterfield, New Hampshire This is my Tinylab development environment. It’s kind of like a Swiss Army knife of electronics. If I have an idea in between classes, I can type up some code and get the Tinylab running in five minutes and get something really cool done.

Sage Michel ’20 Winter Park, Colorado Dottie is a boy, and I carry him with me everywhere. One of my dogs ripped Dottie’s head off once, and his nose another time, and I cried so hard. But my mom colored in Dottie’s nose with a Sharpie. That was a good bonding moment.

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ALUMNI HALL

The Woman Behind the Curtain In Finding Dorothy, Elizabeth Letts ’79 tells the story of “Mrs. Wizard of Oz.” BY EMILY HARRISON WEIR

When The Wizard of Oz was being filmed in Hollywood in 1938, Judy Garland was not yet a star, and few recalled the author whose once-bestselling books inspired the film. If few knew L. Frank Baum’s name 20 years after his death and nearly 40 years after his first Oz book was published, even fewer had heard of his wife, Maud. But in her recent novel Finding Dorothy, Elizabeth Letts ’79 pulls back layers of history to reveal not only the “man behind the curtain” of Oz fame, but also the woman ahead of her time who had married him. Letts saw The Wizard of Oz film when she was 4 years old, and read some of the 14 Oz books as a child. Much later, reading the books to her own son, Letts became curious about the author. L. Frank Baum’s life was well documented, but there was little to be found about Maud Baum, who became guardian of her husband’s literary legacy after his death. When Letts saw a studio photo of 78-year-old Maud with 16-year-old Judy Garland on the movie’s set, she wanted to know more. At first, she came up empty. “When you can’t find anything, you know there’s a story to be told,” Letts says. Letts started telling stories when she was a student at NMH, though her English teacher Audrey Sheats told her bluntly that Letts had a knack for details but hadn’t yet learned to capture the big picture. “She told me I was one-half of a good writer,” Letts recalls. “There was a lot of passion for writing in my teachers, and that inspired me.” Letts went on to write two nonfiction books about horses, which sold well. But Finding Dorothy, published to coincide with the film’s 80th anniversary, got Letts a spot on the Today show. On the program, Letts explained how Maud Gage Baum was well ahead of her time. Raised by a

NMH Magazine

PHOTOS: TED CATANZARO, CHATTMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

suffragist mother in a progressive home sometimes visited by Susan B. Anthony and other leading feminists, Maud grew up as the “neighborhood’s fiercest girl.” She kept that independent streak as an adult, not least by marrying Frank, then an itinerant theater performer brilliant at creating illusions but hopeless at earning a living. When Frank began to create the books that would become his legacy, he modeled Dorothy on Maud and her formidable female relatives. He included “everything [he and Maud] ever endured and imagined, all wrapped up and turned into make-believe,” Letts writes. In Finding Dorothy, Letts sticks close to the facts of Maud’s early life. But although Maud was a consultant on the Oz film, little is known of her influence on the movie or its main character, played by Judy Garland. That’s where Letts’ imagination came into play. “I wrote what I thought Maud would have done if she’d seen what was going on with

A LUM N I H A L L

“When Frank Baum wrote the books that would become his legacy, he modeled Dorothy on his wife, Maud, including everything they ever endured and imagined.”

Numbers Game BY GEORGE LONG AND PETER JENKINS

Judy,” Letts says. The studio exploited the young actor, feeding her uppers and downers, encouraging her to smoke to lose weight, corseting her into costumes to make her look pre-pubescent, and possibly leaving her vulnerable to sexual harassment as well. Maud, Letts suggests, would have tried to protect Judy from all this. Those who love the film will relish the origin stories Letts tells of the Cowardly Lion, Tin Man, and Scarecrow characters, and Maud’s encounters with the actors who played them. Fans of the books may share Maud’s astonishment at the license taken by the filmmakers. (Dorothy’s iconic ruby slippers were silver in the book, and the city of Oz was not emerald green, but white.) Still, neither Frank nor Maud Baum was overly impressed by reality. In Finding Dorothy, Letts creates her own scene of the Oz movie set, with Maud saying to a lonely Judy Garland, “We all need a little bit of magic from time to time.”

When Pete Palmer ’56 was manager of the Mount Hermon boys’ basketball team, he watched home games from the elevated track in James Gym, with a bird’s-eye view of the court below. “Wherever the ball went, I went,” he says. He ran back and forth, from one end of the track to the other. “I kept track of every shot, what kind of shot it was, whether it went in or not, and who got the rebound.” That diligent spirit and passion for numbers carried Palmer into an influential career at the intersection of big data and professional sports. Twenty years before anyone had heard of Moneyball, the book and Oscar-nominated movie about the Oakland A’s, Palmer co-wrote The Hidden Game of Baseball in 1984, focusing on under-the-radar statistics and laying the groundwork for the field of “sabermetrics” — the analytics that drive the game today. Palmer’s love of baseball began in the 1940s, when he listened to Red Sox games on the radio and cheered for left fielder Ted Williams, aka the “Splendid Splinter.” In the 1960s, Palmer was a young engineer at Raytheon, and he’d use his office’s computers to scrutinize old baseball scores, looking for patterns and anomalies. He says, “I had to punch 100,000 IBM computer cards” to assemble data. On one occasion, he discovered an error that, when corrected, transferred a 1910 Major League Baseball batting title from Ty Cobb to Nap Lajoie. Palmer joined the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) in 1971, teaming up with other pioneers in the field to raise awareness about the power of statistics — not just obvious ones like RBI (runs batted in) percentages, but also lesser-known indicators such on-base percentages — how often a batter gets on base. Besides The Hidden Game, he co-wrote seven editions of Total Baseball: The Official Encyclopedia of Major League Baseball, and collaborated on The Baseball Encyclopedia, which is now published by ESPN. He straddled sports, too, joining the New England Patriots as an analyst in the 1970s and working home games for more than 40 years. Today, Palmer is still thinking of ways to improve the games he loves, and to keep them relevant. Baseball “has its dull moments,” he says. His suggestion: “I think we should try two strikes as an out, three balls as a walk. We need to speed it up.” George Long is an NMH English teacher and baseball coach; Peter Jenkins is an English teacher and director of college counseling. Both are diehard baseball fans.

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A LUMNI H A L L

’19 REUNION

TRADITION Alumni Convocation is the main event of every NMH reunion: The bagpipes sound in Memorial Chapel, awards are bestowed, “Jerusalem” is sung. It happens on Saturday, in the middle of what one alum calls “three perfect days on this beautiful hillside.”

Hall of Famers The Friendly Guy S. Prestley “Pres” Blake ’34 celebrated his 85th reunion, accompanied by his son, Ben Blake ’66. The co-founder of Friendly’s Ice Cream got a standing ovation at Sips and Scoops, a Dogfish Head Brewery and Friendly’s Ice Cream tasting event held in his honor. He also received a special Head’s Award for his leadership philanthropy.

NMH Magazine

At the 15th annual Batty Roundball Classic in late May, the NMH Athletics Hall of Fame inducted its newest members: the 2013 National Prep Championship-winning boys’ varsity basketball team. After NMH, team members went on to play at Princeton, Boston College, Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, Yale, Tulane, Dartmouth, and Stanford.

PHOTOS: ANGUS REID ’95, JOHN CARROLL ’89, GLENN MINSHALL

NMH Alumni Council Executive Committee Gets Three New Members

A charitable gift annuity gives you: Fixed lifelong payments • Favorable annuity rates • Tax benefits • A gratifying legacy •

2019 ALUMNI AWARDS LAMPLIGHTER AWARD Josephine M. Hart ’74

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD Brian F. Atwater ’69

Sara Stephens Wilson ’02

Current job: Director of accreditation at the Association of Independent Schools in New England

David Burnett ’64

WILLIAM H. MORROW AWARD Glenn Minshall P’18

Eshalla Obali Margot Merriam ’09

JOSIE RIGBY SPIRIT AWARD

Becca Fishbein ’96 Position: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee co-chair Current job: Pension actuary and digital innovation at Mercer

George Nicholas Chaltas ’69

ALUMNI CITATIONS Kysa M. Crusco ’94 Emily Tucker Dunlap ’59 Alice “Dee” Erickson ’69 David Febus ’89 Randy Foster ’59 Carol Anne Koldis Foote ’94 Roland Leong ’69

AGE

RATE

5.3%

5.9%

6.8%

7.9%

*Rates displayed are for illustrative purposes only.

COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD

YOUNG ALUMNI AWARD

SAMPLE RATES BASED ON A SINGLE LIFE CGA*

Position: Strategic Advisory Committee chair

Jared Gourrier ’06 Position: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee co-chair Current job: Director of culture at Livingston Collegiate Academy

CLASS NOTES

Northfielders head out for Mountain Day in 1955. PHOTO: COUR TESY OF NMH ARCHIVES

NMH Magazine

CLASS NOTES

2019–20 Alumni Council Executive Committee President Molly Goggins Talbot ’93, P’21, ’23 Executive Vice President Kate Hayes ’06 Vice President Andrew Ness ’04 Secretary Wendy Alderman Cohen ’67 Advancement Committee chair Brendan Mysliwiec ’04 Awards Committee chair Thomas Baxter ’59 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee co-chair Becca Perkins Fishbein ’96 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee co-chair Jared Gourier ’06 Nominating Committee co-chair Carolyn “Ty” Fox ’59 Nominating Committee co-chair Tanya Luthi ’96 Reunion Advisory Committee chair Stephen Green ’87, P’18,’20 Strategic Advisory Committee chair Sara Stephens Wilson ’02 Young Alumni Committee co-chair Nicole Dancel ’09 Young Alumni Committee co-chair Andrew Taylor ’09 Class notes columns are edited for space and clarity. The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the philosophy of NMH.

Northfield Please send news to: nmhnotes@nmhschool.org Deborah McNair d’Avignon lives happily with her daughter, Celeste d’Avignon-Krieg ’75, and keeps in close touch with her sons Pierre ’70 and André ’72.

Mount Hermon Loren Bullock mlbullock9@gmail.com From Loren Bullock: “I remember well my biology class with Mr. Pyper, dissecting an earthworm, classifying tree leaves. Then chemistry the next year with Dr. Bowman. The periodic table was an epiphany for me. And my algebra class [in] my senior year with Arthur Platt. Logarithms and slide rules. No wonder I went on to major in math and physics. But it was the three years of weekly English themes that taught me how to write. By all accounts, NMH teachers still instill excellence in all their students. Thank you, teachers.”

Northfield Mount Hermon Please send news to: nmhnotes@nmhschool.org Allan Attwater passed away on 7/5/19 in Storrs, Conn., at the age of 94. He treasured his time at Mount Hermon, and two of his children were fortunate enough to be able to have that experience at Northfield School in the 1960s. Survivors are Allan’s second wife, June; his NMH alumnae children, Margery Attwater Mosher ’63 and Marilyn Attwater Grant ’66; granddaughter Meghan Grant ’98; his three other children, Melanie Attwater-Young, Russell Attwater, and Robert Attwater; six more grandchildren (in addition to Meghan Grant); and nine great-grandchildren.

Northfield Mount Hermon Please send news to: nmhnotes@nmhschool.org

Northfield Arlene Finch Reynolds arlenerey@aol.com

Mount Hermon Pete Devenis ingadevenis@aol.com

Northfield Please send news to: nmhnotes@nmhschool.org

Mount Hermon Hugh Findlay findlay22@verizon.net

Northfield Anne Hardman Allen ahafma@yahoo.com Ever busy, Ellie Osterman Caddell still lives on land in Tewksbury, Mass., that was her family’s dairy farm. Her husband passed away 12 years ago, but she feels fortunate that their three daughters (two of whom went to Northfield) live nearby, along with five grandchildren. Ellie works in her extensive garden every day in the warm weather but spends her winters on Marco Island in Florida. She and I decided that we must be old because our column was originally in the back of the magazine, and now it is on the first page of the class notes section! • Annette Allison Merkh has been living in the same house in Marlton, N.J., for 61 years. Her first husband died 30 years ago. She later remarried, and her family increased considerably with her six children and his four children. Unfortunately, her husband, David Merkh, died in March. • Ruth Dillingham Cowan attended Sacred Concert this year and particularly enjoyed hearing “Jerusalem” and the Northfield Benediction. (I was surprised to hear that Sacred Concert is still held on the Northfield campus, even though the school has been sold.) • Meredith

Northfield Elizabeth Jane (B.J.) Smith Johnson robert.johnson53@comcast.net

Northfield Dorcas Platt Abell sabell3@nycap.rr.com

Mount Hermon Carleton Finch zeke137@aol.com

Northfield Please send news to: nmhnotes@nmhschool.org

Charlie Price, Yvonne Elliman, and Jim Babcock represented the Class of 1944 at Reunion 2019.

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CL ASS NOTES

“Diffy” Cushman Ransohoff offered the

following news before she passed away on 6/25/19 in Maryland. She was dealing with two difficult things — her husband’s dementia and her lymphoma and heart troubles. On the plus side, their three children are living interesting, productive lives, and their eight grandchildren seem to be dealing with their successes and challenges in positive ways. She loved keeping up with them, and she was thankful to have such a loving family. Despite her trials, when I talked to Diffy on the phone, she sounded just like the 17-year-old friend I had at Northfield so many years ago! Diffy received many accolades at Northfield: senior class president, May Queen, “most friendly” — and she remained the same wonderful person throughout her life. Her funeral took place in Bethesda, the town where she resided, and a memorial service was held at St. Mark Presbyterian Church in Rockville, Md., in early July. Our hearts and condolences go to Diffy’s family.

Mount Hermon Charles A. Kennedy chask@myfairpoint.net (603) 223-0731 Class agent Jack Daggett reported that Bill Samardak had celebrated his 92nd birthday and was still active enough to take a Caribbean cruise. Great life for the Navy vet. Others of us are coping with the various ravages of old age (replacements for worn-out joints, etc.) but still manage to get about. • Regarding his environmental work, Bob McManus is working with Jeff Leyden ’80, nephew of George Leyden, on future projects. Small world after all. • Al Anderson passed away on 5/29/19 after struggling with medical issues. His career in medicine was presaged by his reading of The Atlas of the Eye, a large volume that showed the inner workings of the eye, back on the third floor of Overtoun in his sophomore year. Our thoughts and prayers to his Northfield bride, Anne Denisevich Anderson ’48. • Fortu-

Bill Mellin ’49 (left) and George Byers ’49

NMH Magazine

nately, I am still able to get about and work with our denomination and the ACLU on immigrant and refugee issues. We were able to reunite a family from Gaza in the spring, getting them settled in Maine in time for a snowstorm. Talk about culture shock!

Northfield Mount Hermon Please send news to: nmhnotes@nmhschool.org

Northfield Please send news to: nmhnotes@nmhschool.org

Mount Hermon Jim Hanchett jch46@cornell.edu • David Durham dedur@aol.com From David Durham: It’s hard to believe that it has been 70 years since we drove away as graduates from the hill. And it is sad to observe that many of our colleagues are no longer on this side of the River Styx. Nevertheless, we gathered whom we could: Hugh Barbour, David Durham (and his wife, Kathy), Paul Rikert, and, by adoption, Fred Monett ’50. Our own special table in the Wilson Room off West Hall enabled us to enjoy wonderful conversation — some solving issues facing our crazy world. It was a beautiful weekend in which to stroll familiar paths and observe this “home” of our youth. Several events occurred in the chapel, and much singing. Rattled the walls three times with “Jerusalem,” and thrice with the Northfield Benediction. We were entertained in part by the 50th anniversary class, especially their bagpiper! That class developed and presented the Sunday worship, but David Durham was invited to write and lead the “Prayers of the People.” • Hugh Barbour is looking forward to his 90th birthday in November! “Eva and I are in good health,” he wrote. “We live in Shell Point, a retirement community in Fort Myers, Fla. Try to keep busy in real estate ... that’s what keeps us young! If you get down this way, give us a yell! We’ll buy you a lunch!” • Donald Bond wasn’t able to attend June’s reunion, but he had a great time at the last reunion, and it was his first one. He visited Don Swicker, who lived at Oaknoll dorm with several others. Donald shared, “I’m always grateful that I had the opportunity to attend Hermon on a year between my discharge from the U.S. Navy and going to college. I try to contribute in a small way each year, but still regret that they dropped football. I played for five years between high school and Hermon, and in my 30-year career as a physical education teacher and

coach, I coached seven sports, including 21 years as assistant football coach in four different school systems. I have always felt football is the best for teaching teamwork and building character. What is autumn on a campus without football? I still enjoy getting out every day and attending American Legion, Masonic, and Shrine functions, and church every Sunday. As I lived at Oaknoll, I didn’t get to know a lot of the others, but enjoyed my experience at Hermon.” • George Byers and Bill Mellin were unable to attend the 70th class reunion this year, but they planned to have their own in Houston, where they both live in a retirement community called Eagle’s Trace. Their own mini reunion would include a meal and reviewing the old times they shared up on “the hill.” George and Bill are in good health, and with more than 1,000 independent living residents at Eagle’s Trace, they find it good luck that they get to see each other every other day. • William Deacon and wife Nancy are both doing well. They visited their son and daughter-in-law in the Austrian Alps this year. They pass on their best wishes. • David Durham and his wife, Kathy, are both in fit fettle and enjoy visiting children and traveling. They spent three weeks in Cancun last spring and are planning to travel for eight weeks in the fall — back to their beloved Britain, where they had lived for three years. • Paul Jaques married Beverly, his high school sweetheart, while in med school. Together, they raised five kids. Paul practiced medicine for 40 years on Cape Cod, and retired in 1999. They moved to Meredith, N.H., in 2007. Paul directed a church choir for 18 years on Cape Cod, then quit to sing in Chatham Chorale and Chatham Chorale Chamber Singers for 18 years. He now sings, along with Beverly, in two choruses: the Pemigewasset Choral Society and the Mountain Lake Chorale. Paul had sung in alumni choir at Sacred Concert nearly every year since they began, but not for the last two years. • Paul Rikert lives in White Plains, N.Y. He loves old cars; he owned a Jaguar MC that he bought for $500 fifty years ago, and recently sold it for $175,000! • Fred Monett ’50 is a CPA living in Melbourne, Fla.

Northfield Mount Hermon Janet-Marie Fitzgerald Whitley janwhitley@aol.com Being 3,000 miles away, I was unable to attend as an observer of the 70th reunion of NMH ’49. However, Fred Monett attended and said that ’49 had only three returnees — all from Mount Hermon, and the Northfield campus was open to visitors. If everyone returns from our class who say they will, we will do better. Apart from reunion, Fred attended a convention in Salt

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Lake City, then traveled to Montana and Wyoming (Yellowstone). Five more states and he will have been to all 50! He will be at our 70th reunion. • Our class lost another distinguished member: David Bolger. He passed on 12/29/18 with his family by his side. He had made so many contributions to the school. After graduating from NMH, he attended University of Pittsburgh. He served his country in the U.S. Air Force and retired as a first lieutenant. He began his career in the steel mills of Pennsylvania, then became an associate at various firms before founding Bolger and Co., Inc., in 1966. He enjoyed many philanthropic endeavors and NMH was a recipient of many of these, as evidenced by a walk around NMH campus. We are proud to call him our classmate. His twin, Barbara Bolger Collett, attended Dave’s funeral, along with her three children, Tom, Dianne, and Debbie, and her grandson, Bobby, who played on the PGA tour until two major back surgeries forced him to take a “real job” in industry in Woodlands, Texas. David was Bobby’s financial sponsor — another measure of his generosity. Barbara and husband Bill are enjoying living at the Village, a retirement community. • Lois Seekamp Dole is much better now than was reported in the last class notes column. Her blood pressure is under control and her headaches have gone, thanks to chiropractic manipulation and neck exercises. Her family is well. • Diana Bond Holtshouser is active on Facebook and continues to keep very busy in her life. • Constance Streeter Reilly had a hip replacement in April. She was home after two weeks and is doing well. • Judith Myers Shinn passed away on 3/1/19. I have no further info at the moment. • Joan Bliss Wilson and husband Tom celebrated 65 years of marriage in July. They took a two-week boat trip with Vantage called “the Hidden Gems of the British Isles and Ireland.” She plans to attend our 70th in June 2020. So happy to hear that, Joan! • BettyJane “BJ” Graves Porter has been struggling with lung problems. In May, she received a call stating a recent CT scan showed something in her right lung that wasn’t there before. If it’s cancer, it will be her third bout. She asked us all to keep her in our prayers. Her son, Trip, is still in practice with a neurological group. Son Jeff is teaching in Alaska (30 miles north of the Arctic Circle) and says that global warming is a real threat. Temperatures have not been below freezing there, and normally they are in the minus-10s to minus-30s. Son Eric retired from the Marine Corps and is a deputy sheriff in Lake Placid, Fla. He’s looking to retire and buy a large boat and live aboard. He is learning how to sail on his 24-foot

sailboat. BJ is hoping she gets well enough to sail with him. • Ruth Grant Rugh and her husband have been enjoying the beautiful Northwest for 22 years. They still play a lot of duplicate bridge and have fun at their local casinos. Their travel is limited to family gatherings within the U.S., as Ruth’s “polio” legs continue to deteriorate. Otherwise, they are happy and well and send their greetings. • Kay Waller Springwater appreciated the writeup on Anna Katherine Johnston Diggs Taylor and reported Anna’s son, Douglass Diggs (55), died in Detroit on 5/17/19 from a massive stroke. He was an enterprising young man dedicated to improving the city through his activities in business and real estate, and as a city official. • Jane Sisson Sibley passed away on 11/11/18. She co-chaired our 50th reunion, led the Greater Boston Knitting League, and was a longtime supporter of the Boston Symphony. Josette Ray Crook also passed away on 1/21/19, and Paul Stumpf passed on 3/18/19. • Arnulf Esterer continues his wine making in Conneaut, Ohio, and in May had the annual “blessing of the vines.” Visit Arnulf’s website, markko.com. • Vic Scalise attended his 65th reunion at Colby College in June and was one of the reunion preparers. He and his wife are having the time of their life training their new puppy, a Bernedoodle. They spend their summers in Ocean Park, Maine, gathering with family and friends. In August, Vic’s son, Doug, was the preacher at his worship center in the community. Baseball is front and center with Vic, as he is attending 20 Mariners’ games with friends and will also take in a game at Fenway Park. • Stuart Lohr is settled in their Fort Myers, Fla., home and will travel to their summer home in Maine. He sends best wishes to all and looks forward to seeing classmates at our 70th in June 2020. • Dick Whelan spent time at Hilton Head in May. He’s had a long year with a spinal stimulation unit installed in his back, and three months of enforced idleness for recovery. But he’s back in the gym and biking regularly. In April, he did a history buff’s tour of the White House, Williamsburg, Jamestown, Yorktown, and Monticello. He will see us at our 70th! • Bruce Roberts (Father Augustine) sends greetings from Argentina to “all of us of NMH50!” “Living old age is an art and it’s great to see how each of us does it,” he wrote. In the middle of the Pampas, he keeps busy counseling guests who come to the monastery, and translates books or articles from Spanish to English and vice versa. He sends his best to all the veterans of the Hill. (My thanks to Bruce for his counseling during my grief from the death of our youngest son, Brian, in 2001.) • Bruce Dunn is still healthy, rides his bike,

and writes some. His website (Jeevra.blog) consists of letters between him and characters in his books. He says it’s a bit heavy on the cosmological dimension. Bruce finds himself tempted to believe he could make the trip (to NMH) next year on an electrically assisted bike, but then he thinks of Alan (a companion on a trip to our 50th reunion who was struck and killed) and finds he’s intimidated by long trips on road shoulders. Bruce, please don’t bike — we want you at reunion in one piece. • As for my family, grandson Brian II successfully completed his 18-month probation with the Vacaville Fire Department and celebrated by purchasing a home for his wife and three children. He is continually volunteering his time for community events. Granddaughter Erin and her husband purchased a home in the San Francisco Bay Area. If I find it too much to make the long trip to reunion, Erin has offered to travel with me, as I don’t believe my husband can make the trip. He was recently diagnosed with Paget’s disease; it is a condition in which the body makes bone too rapidly and deposits it in the wrong places. It is slow-growing but seems to be aggressive in the pelvic area, causing severe pain. He is due to have an infusion to try and slow it more. Great-grandson Daniel continues to push forward in the field of Outlaw Karts. In May, he was named Rookie of the Year in the open 500 class, and Sportsman of the Year for his clean racing. He’s 16 years old and competes with many longtime adult drivers. I am still in business with son Doug, as Whitley Farms is raising alfalfa and rye grass hay. We are small (175 acres), but it is a lot for him to do alone. He plows, seeds, fertilizes, swathes, and bales. I keep the books, manage land leases, and do the spreadsheets. • After reviewing the list of deceased classmates, it appears we’ve lost 171 from Northfield and 106 from Mount Hermon. I realize it will be difficult or impossible for many to attend our 70th reunion. I have 3,000 miles to travel. I hope to do it, but one cannot predict at our age what will happen next week. Have a wonderful holiday season, and thank you for supporting me in providing our contribution to the school magazine.

Northfield Mount Hermon Pat McCormick Hoehing sylv.snail@bex.net 7125 San Benito Drive, Sylvania, OH 43560 • Frederick W. Miller fwcemiller@sbcglobal.net From Pat: As the circle of life closes in on our class of ’51, news is becoming scant. The death of Dorothy “Dotty” Rugg Fitch on

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10/27/18 was recorded in the spring 2019 issue of NMH Magazine. I did not know her well except through sports while at Northfield. Others knew her at Merrill-Keep, and through Chancel and Estey Choirs. We all knew her through her vibrant energy, quick smiles, welcoming persona, and love for the Northfield School. This extended to the Mount Hermon School as well. She married her first blind date, David H. Fitch ’50. Their wedding reception was at the Chateau. Dottie came from Greenfield, Mass. After their marriage, the Fitches settled in Greenfield and raised three children. Over the years, they used their talents, resources, and enthusiasm to benefit the town of Greenfield as well as NMH. Dottie exhibited this inviting enthusiasm at reunions, doing her part to welcome us back. She and Dave certainly infused their family with love for the Northfield Mount Hermon experience! Their survivors include 13 Northfield, Mount Hermon, and NMH graduates. How’s that for a ripple effect? • Hope to hear from anyone with news for the spring 2020 NMH Magazine. It amazes me what people our age are still doing to keep mind and body active. • From Fred: Driving tractors on a farm in Fairfield, Conn., was how John C. Banks grew up. So it was not much different at Mount Hermon when he plowed snow (as I recall on those snowy cold mornings), or did other farm chores during his two years as our classmate. John was age 20 when he graduated in June 1951 and, although accepted at University of Connecticut, he was drafted into the U.S. Army during the Korean conflict, working on communications systems, which paved the way for his 30-plus-year career with the telephone companies in Long Hill and Monroe, Conn., and Peterborough, N.H., where he retired in 1983. John passed away peacefully on 10/13/18, surrounded by family, in Monadnock Community Hospital. He is survived by his wife, the former Violet Randall, two sons, four grandchildren, and four greatgrandchildren. John died one month after his 66th wedding anniversary. John was a member of the United Methodist Church in Peterborough, where he served on many committees and sang in the choir. • Donald Huene, M.D., shared, “I still do orthopaedic surgery consultations, race thoroughbreds at Santa Anita, and take care of the 10 acres I live on. Every year (make that every day), it gets more difficult to manage. Most grands have graduated from college (I have 14 grandchildren). I plan on taking all 25 of the children and grands on a Caribbean cruise and a tour of the German organs in October.

NMH Magazine

• Arthur Schuman still goes to work every day, enjoying watching his son do great things running Arthur’s company. “So sorry to read of the passing of Bob Owen,” wrote Arthur. “Five years ago, almost to the day, I received a wonderful telephone call from Bob on my 80th birthday. We had a warm and sentimental talk. He was a class act, and I will miss him. Never thought I would still be playing golf at 85, but I am … only not nearly as well as I used to.”

Northfield Mount Hermon Julie Taylor Clemens jtclemens@cs.com First and foremost is the news of classmates who have died. Though it is definitely sad news, we do want to be informed and think about our friends during better times. Luella Wilson Rainbow wrote in January that her good friend and classmate, Barbara Hill Gallup, had died unexpectedly while wintering in Vero Beach, Fla., on 2/2/19. Several classmates had lunched with her just before she died and found her in good health then. • Then Judy Richardson Beers sent news and the obituary of Nan Stewart Roberts, who died after a long illness on 3/23/19. The complete and lively obituary, written by her children, conveyed a true sense of the personality of their mother, who was beloved by all. Sadly, Nan’s husband, Brad, had died just two months before Nan. Brad and Nan attended many of the NMH reunions and mini reunions, making Brad an honorary member of the class. • In April, Russ Broad encouraged classmates to write to Steve Waters’ wife, Jane, as Steve was very ill and about to die. Within a week, Russ again wrote to say Steve died on 4/5/19 and told of the memorial service on April 28, which many classmates attended. Russ spoke at the memorial about his closest friend and what he meant over the years of friendship. • Elizabeth “Libby” BarrettConnor, whose death was noted by many California medical colleagues, passed away on 6/9/19. Libby’s research was well known and had “transformed the treatment of heart disease” according to The San Diego Tribune. She was only at Northfield for one year, so many did not get a chance to know this bright character with a sense of humor that delighted many at Mount Holyoke College, where she wrote the Junior Show (and some 10 Northfield classmates attended with her). We extend our condolences to the families and friends of our lost classmates, and we will certainly miss these special NMH personalities. • News from many of the class of 1952 found them either determined to

stay in their own home or downsizing and moving to a senior retirement community, some with extended care. Bruce Holran and wife Barbara have lived in a Masonic Village in Elizabethtown, Penn., for 10 years. They find that it answers their needs with home care help in the evenings. Bruce does miss the minis. • Julie Taylor Clemens’ Northfield roommate, Muriel Hopkins Beahm, passed away on 7/26/19. Reflections and memories of Muriel will be in the next issue of NMH Magazine. • Though Ann Washburn Samuels continues to do counseling work, she was sidelined for some time after a bad fall and fractured femur. • Arlene Bailey Leinbach Prince wrote while visiting family in Phoenix and then returned to her new residential community in Seattle, Wash. • Melissa Walker (Ian Walker’s wife) continues on the farm with her grandson and misses the mini reunions. • Nan Lauder Eckfeld is enthusiastic about the Eckfelds’ new home in Friendship Village, Dublin, Ohio. Nan’s husband, Jack, reached his 90th birthday, and they celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. Nan has become the family historian and storyteller as the last adult left with knowledge of her family’s past years. At first, she just wrote short stories of incidents, situations, or events and mailed them to the relatives. She is now in the process of going through over 100 stories, re-reading, editing, and reprinting them. She commented, “I’m really enjoying reliving some times with my original family.” • The 1952 Class Scholarship student, Patsy ’19, wrote to the class to show her appreciation for our help in the cost of her excellent education. She is an avid sportswoman with both soccer and basketball teams, where she excels. She enjoyed meeting with some of the 1952 class and hearing stories of school life back in the 1950s. She is now in college. • Mary Merin Tinkham is still singing in the Portland (Ore.) Peace Choir, and we have shared stories of our choral groups and the importance of the Northfield influence through Mr. Raymond. Mary is active in the community, serving lunch to the homeless and volunteering with those interested in the well-being of elders. • Ralph Ahlberg told of enjoying reunions and having wonderful memories of his two years as a Mount Hermon student. Difficult times go with aging, he remarked. His wife, Beverly, is “now a resident at a very fine institution” due to Alzheimer’s disease. Ralph finds going to Sacred Concert in May is “an annual occasion I always find very moving and spirit-filled.” • Bill Rosser has been leading a very busy life in Manhattan for the last 20 years. He is a docent of the Municipal Art

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Society and gives tours of Grand Central Terminal and an annual architectural tour of the NoHo Historic District. Active in the senior community of the Harvard Business School Club of New York, he attends and helps plan monthly activities. There’s not room enough to describe, but it seems that you might have a very interesting visit to Manhattan if you contact your classmate Bill! In fact, Suzanne Brown Longacre appreciated hearing about his life and remarked, “He surely understands well that life is not a dress rehearsal ... very inspiring. His account successfully counteracts one of my despairs: the utter waste of so much human insight born from life experience as we age … just when our society now so desperately needs it.” • Conway “Connie” Redding retired in 2002 from a “27-year career as a clinical psychologist with San Diego County’s mental health system,” he wrote. Connie also volunteers with the local jazz station and plays guitar with the big band and small group jazz ensemble at a community college. He added, “The older I get the more aware I become of what a solid foundation Mount Hermon provided on which to build the rest of my life.” • Thanks for keeping in touch, classmates. Fondly, Julie Taylor Clemens

Northfield Mount Hermon Will Lange will@willemlange.com • Abby “AJ” Nicholson Hodges ajhodges@comcast.net I write on the cusp of summer: a cool 52 degrees here in Vermont, and cloudy. I’m setting off shortly, with the top down and my fingers crossed, for a family reunion; then on to the Adirondack village where I taught school 50 years ago. • You may have heard by now that we’ve lost Bob Holton, a dear friend and Nancy Holton Calhoun’s twin. Bob’s wife, Karen, also died within a few months. • Bev Bolton Leyden said that our classmate and avid bicyclist, Rosie Stroop, suffered a stroke in Germany and is working hard at recovery. Her main problems seem to be with typing and writing in English. Bev, whom I saw at reunion, sent news to Rosie. I’ll let her tell it: “Some news for you: Toni and Gerritt Vander Veer timed their return from Florida to attend Sacred Concert ... I know there were a few other classmates there, including Marilyn Dimon White, Marge Land Largey, and Jean Fuller Farrington. Thomas Aquinas College on the Northfield campus is ready to open in September with students, and has done a lot of work on the buildings. I was told that Will [Lange] has been invited to speak to some of the classes at reunion in June — a most popular entertainer! This

will be my last year as a ‘working’ member of the Reunion Alumni Committee (part of the Alumni Council); it has been such fun and I have enjoyed it every year. Getting to know alums of different classes is great …” • Rachel Peckham Elder sent news of her grandchildren. Grandson Jackson Elder is attending Dartmouth College. He was invited to the White House in June, and attended with his parents and grandfather. Jackson, a recent graduate of Burlington High School in Vermont, was selected as a 2019 U.S. Presidential Scholar. He was awarded for his outstanding academic achievement, artistic excellence, technical expertise, leadership, citizenship, service, and contribution to his school and community. Rachel’s other grandchildren include: Alison Gray, who is a senior at William & Mary; Axel Gray, who is attending Virginia Commonwealth University; Ramsey, who is a junior at Philips Academy in Andover; and Robert, who is studying for his master’s and learning the Chinese language at the University of Beijing. • I stopped to see Aileen and Bob Chutter in their new digs at Wake Robin retirement community in Shelburne, Vt. Very nice, and Bob can still boil maple sap at the sugarhouse in season. I remarked on a brand-new Prius parked next to their spots. “Oh, that’s Governor Kunin’s,” they told me. They’re living next-door to one of Vermont’s illustrious governors. • I’ve recently renewed a correspondence — lapsed for 64 years — with my old friend Anne Eubank Jolliff; the mail now goes not to West Gould but to Waco, Texas. She’s moved to a smaller house near Lake Waco and spends a lot of time in her garden. She’s kept her family ranch near Brownwood, where I worked for a summer long ago, and, with her sons, is fixing up a small retreat that’s suffered from the Texas weather. Next time I visit my son’s family in Arkansas, I hope to make another trip down there.

Northfield Mount Hermon Dennis Kelly dskelly1935@gmail.com • Be Jay Froehlich Hill bhill24@juno.com • Dan Fricker dcfricker@videotron.ca From Dennis: Our 65th reunion was in June and what a wonderful time we had! We had over 20 people returning, including some spouses and guests. On Friday evening, we gathered with all returning classes under a tent at Ford Cottage for a reception, followed by a dinner in Alumni Hall (West Hall) in the Wilson Annex, a private dining room in the center facing east. We were housed on

the first floor of Hayden Hall and in adjacent Crossley Hall. After dinner, there was the usual Friday-evening Hymn Sing. We had to share Hayden with the class of 1959, so we had a small get-together at one end of the lounge. There were approximately 800 alumni returning for various reunions, including Pres Blake ’34, founder of the Friendly’s Ice Cream chain of restaurants. He’s 104 years old and used a walker to get around. • On Saturday, Bob Salisbury and Stan Peck played golf at one of the local nine-hole courses. On Saturday afternoon, I gave an alumni seminar on “The Bermuda Triangle: The Myth, the Reality, and How to Survive It in Small Yachts.” There were about 20 people in attendance and it appeared to be well-received. On Saturday evening, we had a catered dinner, and at the end of the dinner, I read my “Ode to the Hill,” a poem I created a couple of years ago. Willem Lange ’53, Mount Hermon’s storyteller extraordinaire, regaled us with some wonderful stories of his experiences at Mount Hermon 66 years ago. After dinner, we adjourned to the lounge in Hayden Hall and enjoyed a good evening of reminiscences and a little Prosecco. On Sunday morning, I took some Northfield ladies for a tour of the Northfield campus. It was as beautiful as ever and is now used by Thomas Aquinas College. • A reunion attendee, Nancy Darrah Mooney, and her husband, Richard, relocated from Toledo, Ohio, and are now living in Rhode Island. Also from Bristol, R.I., is Gail Schaller Storms. Gail invited me to visit the Herreshoff Marine Museum in Bristol, which I intend to do sometime soon. Eileen Higginbottom Simon drove to reunion from Boston. She lives in Hull, Mass., at a beach community at the entrance to Boston Harbor. Also driving over from Boston was Toni diStefano Norton and her husband, John. Toni lives in her childhood home on Beacon Hill. • Jay Crawford and his wife, Joan, drove up from Lexington, Va., and stayed overnight at my place here on the New Jersey shore before heading for NMH the next day. Dave Jansky, Jay’s old roommate, drove from his home in central Pennsylvania to attend the reunion. Dave has been a loyal NMH alumnus, always making it back to each reunion. My wife, Betty, and I picked up Debbie Fryer Gorin at a restaurant in northern Jersey, where some friends of hers dropped her off, and then we dropped her back near the same place on return on Sunday. • Kay Johnson Howells flew all the way from her home in Salt Lake City. Kay has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa and is planning a trip to Machu Picchu in

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Ed were taking all their grandchildren to St. John in the Virgin Islands for a vacation. • My own grandson, Logan ’19, graduated from NMH two weeks prior to our reunion and is now attending Colorado College. • We have well over $200,000 in the McVeigh Scholarship fund now, so thank you all for contributing so much. The scholarship is open to anyone, but with all things being equal, preference is given to students who run on either the girls’ or the boys’ crosscountry or track teams. Stay healthy, eat wisely, and get plenty of exercise, and we’ll meet again in five years. That would be June of 2024 for our 70th reunion!

The class of ’54 was out in force at their reunion in June.

Peru. • Bobbie Helmle Simon lives in Bridgeport, Conn., and has a ski house in Vermont and still skis! I gave up skiing about 20 years ago. Our old friend, Ginny Reed Fisher, lives only a half hour away in Brattleboro, and she came to NMH for Saturday-evening festivities. I sat next to Ginny in the chapel and she still has a lovely voice. • Fred Rice relocated permanently back to his home in Maine from the home he shared in Sun City Hilton Head, a retirement community in Bluffton, S.C. I helped Fred sell his motor yacht about a year ago. • Stan Peck and his wife, Nancy, drove up from their home in Glen Rock, N.J., and Bob Salisbury, our gentleman farmer, schlepped over from his home in the Finger Lakes district of upstate New York. It was also good to see my old roommate, Ralph Perry, who flew in from his retirement home adjacent to Pasadena, Calif., as did Phil McKean. Phil and his wife, Deborah, have a summer home on the coast of Maine. Steve Kurtz drove to NMH from his summer home in the Berkshire Mountains. Stan Peck was the only person to meet up with Steve Kurtz. We spoke and made arrangements to get together sometime in the fall. Steve has not been back since our 35th reunion, and I was looking forward to seeing him, but I arrived too late on Friday afternoon. • I always look forward to seeing Susie Craig Hastings and Cathy Olney Irzyk, former roommates in East Gould and at the University of New Hampshire. Susie lives in an independent living facility in Hanover, N.H., and Cathy lives in her old childhood home in Dunstable, Mass. We were all quartered in Crossley Hall adjacent to Hayden Hall. As guests, we were honored by the attendance of Marjorie Hubbard, the wife of Dick Hubbard, who passed away several years ago. Marjorie always enjoyed our reunions, as did Dick, and likes

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to be included in the loop. She is always welcome. The weather was warm and sunny after a rainy spring, and we all seemed to have a wonderful time and plan to be back again in five years. • From Northfield, I tried to contact Carol Lindskog Nichols, Audrey Higgins Rich, Dotsy Kelley, Cindy Ross Naton, and Tobi Scheinblum-Freund to try and persuade them to come to the reunion, but for one reason or another, none could make it back. From Mount Hermon, I contacted John “Ted” Simpson, Arnie Buchman, Bill Russell, Ed Snyder, Bill Owen, Curt Ormond, and Thayer Shafer. None could make it back this time but Thayer promises to be at our 70th reunion in 2024. Ed was taking a cruise to Alaska on the inside passage. Jim Fannin, Dan Fricker, and Ron Swetland said they were coming to the reunion, but for some reason didn’t show up. • I must recount another brief Northfield reunion in late April. The small group of Northfield classmates called “The Incredible Octogenarians” (Ann Newman Sundt, Toni Browning Smiley, Betty Vermey, Nancy Wickens Taylor, Gail Schaller Storms, and Toni diStefano Norton) visited Bay Head on the New Jersey shore. I rented some electric golf carts and we toured the town, stopping for lunch at Charlie’s, a new upscale restaurant. Then we took a tour by car of the other towns along the shore and stopped in Ocean Grove, where Ann had a summer job at a restaurant when she was in college. In the late afternoon, we wound up at the Bay Head Yacht Club for cocktails on the upper deck. We met up with Suzie Boyle Van Schoick ’61, and somehow they all sang the Northfield Benediction together. Ann Newman Sundt and Ed Sundt couldn’t attend reunion because their granddaughter was graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy and then entering medical school. Ann and

Northfield Mount Hermon Lisa Tuttle Edge etedge@aol.com • Don Freeman d.freeman4@verizon.net From Lisa: Janet Bear McTavish wrote, “I have finished what will probably be my last large show quilt. It is titled ‘We Are the Children’ and has pictures of 100 children from around the world that I had painted. It was at the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Show in Virginia in February, and then returned to the Minnesota State show in June. It tells three stories in its design, quilting, and embellishments. It also includes two poems that I wrote from my heart that expresses my lifetime dream … that all children be loved and nurtured in a safe environment …. My quilt ‘Peace Labyrinth’ is on permanent display at the Dayton International Peace Museum in Ohio, if anyone is passing through Dayton. This is the only peace museum in the country and celebrates the universal recognition of what we call ‘The Golden Rule.’ I would like to find homes for some of my other quilts, and if anyone would like to sponsor one somewhere, I will gladly make them available for free. Most [of the quilts] celebrate environmental concerns, are large [scale], and have appeared in national and international shows over the past decade. Hope to see you in 2020 at our 65th!” • From Don: Reunion chair Svein Arber wants to remind us that our 65th reunion will take place next year, June 4–7, 2020. When Svein was on campus in November 2018 (to walk far, far behind the pack in the Pie Race), one of our friends in the Alumni Office told him, “Sixty-fifth reunions always have good turnouts.” Save the dates! Svein will pass along details as they become available. • John Cooley and his husband, Jack Millard, embarked on a spring wine tour of the Bordeaux region and the Pyrenees. They encountered some notable white

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wines, but report that they prefer “those fruit-forward California wines.” John and Jack also visited the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain. John, Susanna Whitney Grannis, and Barb Zschiesche Cooley meet for lunch once a month in Chatham, N.Y., to discuss “just about everything,” said John. • Tom Pickett writes that he’s living in Southern California with Marguerite, his second wife, summering in their house in Jackson, Wyo. Tom has eight grandkids and two great-grandkids. • Art Ryter reported, “In 2005, my wife, Lynn, and I moved from our home of 58 years in Southern California to the Dallas/Fort Worth area to follow our two sons and their families. To celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary, Lynn and I flew to New York for a few days of sightseeing and visits with friends. We took the Queen Mary 2 to Southampton, England, and flew to Dublin, Ireland, for four days of touring. We flew back to London for four days touring that city and surrounding countryside. We then took the train to Paris, where we spent four days touring the City of Lights with an additional day at the Normandy beaches. A train ride to Switzerland to visit my relatives followed, and then a flight to London hooked us up with the return trip to New York … To add excitement to our return trip, our ship was involved in a rescue at sea of a sailor whose sailboat was disabled in a storm. We dropped him off in Halifax, where we were able to learn a lot about the sinking of the Titanic.” Art added that his oldest granddaughter is now a first-year undergrad at college. Art and wife Lynn are involved in leading ministries in their church. • Don Freeman continues to live the life of the country squire in Heath, Mass., about 25 miles west of NMH. He was the only ’55er — and possibly the oldest alum — to sing in the 2019 Sacred Concert. His granddaughter, Firefly, is carrying on the family musical tradition, singing with the San Francisco Girls Chorus on their annual tour of Europe.

Northfield Mount Hermon

Nelson Lebo nlebo@nmhschool.org • Kim Buck skimball1682@gmail.com • Caro Woolley Peterson petersoncaro3@gmail.com From Caro and Kim: Enjoying the warmth

and pleasures of winter in sunny Sarasota are Lyn Foote Marosz, Pattie Pelton Lanier, Caro Woolley Peterson, and Elaine “Lanie” Tetreault Smith. Bishops Bread (baked by Lanie) was a highlight of the lunch and conversation they enjoyed at Pattie’s home in Sarasota. • Ann Carpenter Holbrook

continues to enjoy the pleasures of her newly married life with husband Don May. When we spoke, she had just returned from Washington, D.C., where not only did they log 11,000 steps a day, they were fortunate to twice visit the highly recommended National Museum of African American History and Culture. During his journalism career, Don visited Africa many times, and when in Gambia, met many young children who could not afford to go to school. He was moved by their stories and began a scholarship fund for them. For 20 years he has visited Gambia annually and has continued conversations with the young people that the education fund helps support. Ann keeps busy with her Oriental rug-repair business. Ann and Don live at the Kendall Community in Hanover, N.H. • Caroline “Pat” Walker Knowles still lives an active volunteering life. She is the scholarship chairwoman for her garden club, a town warden, and a member of the National Society of Colonial Dames, among many other commitments. She and husband Jonathan have lived in the same house in Rehoboth, Mass., for 60 years. They talk about downsizing, as so many of us have done, but find the task daunting. Truly it is daunting, Pat, but very worth it for those of us who have done it. • Priscilla “Kip” Klein Zink is in good health. She rides her bike with training wheels for balance and tries to keep physically active. She has downsized for her husband’s need for residential care due to his dementia. He is nearby and she visits him regularly, but says it is a difficult time. Fortunately, both Priscilla and Donald had the foresight years ago to get long-term health insurance. Without it, she could never afford the $10,000-a-month fee. She is so grateful that his care is excellent. Meanwhile, Priscilla is now living in a small cottage, where she has squeezed in her six-foot Steinway grand piano. She plays regularly and composes her own music. She is also editing her son’s novel, which is based on his experiences as a civilian in Afghanistan. She credits Northfield’s English teachers Eva Freeman and Elizabeth Sanderson for the skills she is now using. • Dede Lawrence Smith sold her home in Florida and moved to Brentwood, N.H., where she will be close to her daughter. Dede’s husband passed away from Lewy body dementia, which progressed very rapidly. As we talk with many of our classmates, we have learned of so many different forms of dementia that come to us. Dede was grateful for the rapid progression of the disease so that her husband did not suffer a long time. Her house move puts her close to good medical care, family, and

many old friends close to her roots. And no matter her circumstances, talking with Dede is a pleasure, for she is upbeat and has a wonderful sense of humor. Carry on, Dede! • Barbara Tuller Cameron has lived on Cape Cod for 27 years and continues to sing in the Mid Cape Chorus, which has 90 strong retirees. They are very motivated singers, with some coming with walkers and canes. Both Barbara and her husband, George, are active caretakers for many of the people in their community by running errands and helping out in any way they can. They also go regularly to an exercise class, exemplifying that old adage, “Move it, or lose it!” • Joan Thompson Leonard celebrated her 81st birthday on May 2. She was off to the theater that night and expected celebrations with her nearby children over the weekend. Joan and her husband love to travel. Their riverboat cruise from Belgium to Switzerland was fun and had no complications. This year they are going to South Dakota! They love the national parks and want to see Mount Rushmore and the Badlands. Grand Rapids will be their home base for park exploring. Do give us a few details for our next issue, Joan, and have fun! • A dream came true for Karyl Allyn Condit: an 80th birthday trip to Florence, Italy, with all her family. “Our group of 11 ranged in age from 12 to almost 82. We rented a large apartment in Oltrarno and took day trips to Venice and Tuscany by train and bike. We covered as much of historic Florence by foot as we could. My husband, Roger, and I credit our fitness center membership for the stamina and strength needed to climb the Duomo and other towers, and to walk many miles a day. It is a very sweet memory for a lifetime. I think our youngest travelers have been bitten by the travel bug!” Karyl has a grandson living in Denmark and a granddaughter on exchange in Belgium. Karyl also enjoyed connecting with Edith McKeon (Center Gould) when Edith visited a mutual friend in Farmington, Maine. • Dorrie Krakower Susser and

Enjoying the warmth of winter over Bishop’s bread in sunny Sarasota, Fla., were ’56 women (L–R) Lyn Foote Marosz, Pattie Pelton Lanier, Caro Woolley Peterson, and Elaine Tetreault Smith.

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husband Bob, Walt Jones, Jill Ayers Gilbert and husband John, Alison Saulnier Ritchie, and Benita Pierce attended the welcome of the new head of school, Brian Hargrove, at the New York Historical Society in April. • Fiona MacKinnon has returned to Ohio, where she lived for many years. • Caro Woolley Peterson and her husband, Peter, expect to become Florida residents this year. Caro is a Big Sister in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program in Venice, Fla. • Kim Buck is living in Beverly, Mass., overlooking the tidal Bass River. She summers in Gloucester, eating oysters and lobster. The gulls and shorebirds provide “cat TV” for Charlie, her black feline. Kim has joined a writers’ group, a book club, and an exercise group at the Beverly Senior Center. • We hope that you will send us updates on your life for the next issue. We would love to hear from you.

Northfield Mount Hermon

Jeanne Schwartz Magmer jeannem57@gmail.com

Well, here we are, the end of 2019 and the beginning of 2020, a school year that will see all of us 1957 NMH graduates celebrating our 80th birthdays. • Sarah “Terry” Drew Reeves asks, “Are you telling people your age these days, or are you into ‘New Age?’ ” • If you are celebrating being 80 years young, what will you do, or what have you done, to celebrate your 80th birthday? Let us know. • My (Jeanne Schwartz Magmer) birthday is January 1, and my family thinks we ought to celebrate with a big party. I’m not sure. Taking family to the Oregon coast and walking on the beach might be more fun. I still savor the three-week hiking trip in New Zealand Ginger Roe Lang and I took to celebrate our 70th birthdays. • For Ginger Roe Lang’s 80th birthday, her son, Jon, is giving Ginger and her daughter, Priscilla, a trip to a destination to be determined. Ginger is angling for a warm place in February or March 2020 that is not the Caribbean. She’s also celebrating 27 years running her hiking business, Ginger’s Journeys. Her overseas trip

Darrell “Coop” Cooper ’57 (left) was presented with the 2015 Award from Efficiency Maine for Outstanding Contributions to Efficiency Maine’s Business Program.

NMH Magazine

this year was a Road Scholar trip along the northern Dalmatian coast in Croatia. • When I sent my email plea for class news, I wrote, “I’d especially like to hear from Sarah ‘Sally’ Fuller-Lessard and find out if she still loves Bach. Sarah gave me a lifelong gift by teaching me how to listen to Bach during quiet times at Weston Hall. And I’m still trying to learn how to play Bach’s piano Inventions.” I received the following email from Sally: “I’m so glad to hear that you have a lifelong connection with Bach and are playing his Inventions. They are miniature gems, each quite different in character from the others; I still play them, too. Besides their musical qualities, they are helpful for preserving manual dexterity. I retired five years ago from Stony Brook University, where I taught music history and theory for 43 years. From my home on Long Island, I have easy access to various cultural events at the university and to New York City (via the infamous Long Island Railroad), where I especially enjoy art exhibitions and productions at the Metropolitan Opera. I keep busy gardening, reading, language study (Russian and Italian, at the moment), and regular exercise. Warm wishes to you and to others in our class.” • Many of those others in our class gathered for a second Fall Fling Sept. 24–26, 2019, on Lake Winnipesaukee at the Geneva Point Center, a nonprofit conference center. The group took advantage of the center’s walking trails, and some even ventured out in the kayaks and canoes. Not sure if anyone went swimming. Marsha and Bruce Johnson and Pat and Dave Williams hosted Fall Fling again this year. Steve Springer and Joyce Moore Arthur, our 2022 65th reunion co-chairs, were on hand to keep the reunion planning on track. • Steve Springer and wife Barbara have moved about 30 miles from Silverton, Ore., to Salem, Ore., where they are enjoying a high-rise apartment overlooking Oregon’s Willamette River. • Darrell “Coop” Cooper made it to Fall Fling this year, feeling much better than in 2018, when health issues kept him from attending. Coop, whose business is Energy Audits, Ltd., received the 2015 award from Efficiency Maine for Outstanding Contributions to Efficiency Maine’s Business Program. Coop’s company has generated more than $2,100,000 in rebates for its clients. • Summer 2019 found Pat and Dave Williams celebrating their 16th anniversary on a four-day windjammer cruise out of Camden, Maine. Summer for Dave also included joining some other clergy folk on a several-day retreat on Swans Island, off the coast of Mount Desert, Maine. • Marti Welsh Goldstone finds it hard to believe she’s

lived in Washington, D.C., for almost 50 years. “Changes are happening rapidly,” said Marti, “and even though some days seem set in Alice in Wonderland, I have no plans to leave. The allure of a city with mostly free museums and many concert venues is hard to resist. I still sing with a university chorus as an alto … though I may need a facelift to stand alongside the teens. Volunteering at the public school where I taught science means composting with worms, maintaining rain gardens, and checking on rooftop gardening towers. It helps to escape to Maine for the summer, where I vegetablegarden — dilly beans are my specialty — and hike the family woodlots.” • There was news of other classmates, too, but unfortunately, a computer meltdown destroyed some of your emails that I hadn’t backed up. Another lesson learned, and sincere apologies to those of you missing from these class notes. Please re-send me your emails so I can post on our class website that Lloyd Mitchell maintains for us (classcreator.com/MountHermon-Massachusetts-Northfield-MountHermon-1957). • I also noted that several of you are making the move to continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) and finding life there lively and active, with little or no cooking or housekeeping required and lots of new friends to socialize with. I’ve been living in one, Willamette View, for 16 years and highly recommend CCRCs, too. And, at Willamette View, age doesn’t count until you are 90. That means we all have another decade to go before we reach the new 80. So, here’s to good health and a happy 80th birthday year to all of you.

Northfield Mount Hermon William Hawley hawleys@acsalaska.net • Helen Engelbrecht Ownby helen.ownby@gmail.com From Helen: Barbara Bridgman Perkins’ new book, Cancer, Radiation Therapy, and the Market, is her second book on the business development of medical specialties that has been published and noted by the Washington Post. It should soon be out in paperback. Her first book was The Medical Delivery Business. • Mariamne Zipp Boothby reminded me of Miss Davis’ Problems of Democracy class and stated that she was grateful to have started with that course, which is needed now with the current political climate. • Nancy Buemann Bassett and husband Joe Bassett moved into Brooksby Village, a large 1,700-resident retirement community (CCRC) in Peabody, Mass., where they have lived since 2007, when Joe retired. “The move was not easy because we had

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unusually good storage in our condo and thus had a lot of stuff that finally had to be dealt with,” wrote Nancy. “Moving into such a community lets us know unequivocally what stage of life we are in! We do have a very light corner unit with great views. There are many activities, and we are able to continue to enjoy the North Shore and take advantage of the 25-minute commuter rail ride to Boston … Joe continues at the Peabody woodcarvers’ group, making marionettes. He’s also involved in research related to early New England history and theology.” Nancy continues to sing with the choir at Old North Church in Marblehead, participate in a recorder group, and leads a conversation group for advanced English learners. Their oldest grandson graduated from Kenyon, and they enjoyed a lovely visit with John Abel at Cornell. • In March, I received a surprise visit from Iris Bauer Larsson. She and her friend, Owen, were heading back from Florida, and Iris suddenly remembered that I live just north of the Georgia border. Dennis and I met them near I-95 for supper and spent a number of hours recalling our Northfield days in East Gould. Since their return home, they attended Sacred Concert and had an opportunity to see Iris’ cousin’s daughter, Dottie Bauer ’69, whose father, Fred Bauer, taught at Mount Hermon. • In May, we met Trinka Craw Greger and John Stone at Fernandina Beach for dinner. They had spent time in Florida and were starting their trip back north. Both of them appeared to be in recovery mode from John’s fall, surgery, and recuperation last winter. • From Bill: During our 60th reunion, we pledged a class donation to the ’58 NMH Class Scholarship Fund of $200,000. As of June 30, 2019, we surpassed that goal! Thanks to all who participated. Our fund continues to grow and the income provides financial assistance to worthy students every year. • Given the rousing success of the 60th reunion in 2018, we are in the planning stages of another in June 2020 (June 5–7) as “grands,” a term given by the school to those of us who have had their 60th. “Grands” can have a reunion in any subsequent year, so the theme for our 62nd is: 80 in 2020, in recognition of the fact that most of us will turn 80 next year. Please save the date and plan to attend. • Dee and Dave Angell are still livin’ the dream on Skidaway Island, Ga. The biggest problems are whether to play golf, tennis, go sailing, or visit one of the many boards, groups, or friends they have in Skidaway. Dave has retired as assistant chief of the fire department and medical first responder, so he now

has more time to work on his 34 golf handicap. • In November 2018, Trevor Dupuy and Linda Shaffer Dupuy ’59 traveled to Barcelona and then returned via a transatlantic cruise. In February 2019, they took a weeklong cruise in the western Caribbean. For Trevor and Linda, cruises are an inexpensive and relaxing way to get away. Their oldest grandchild graduated magna cum laude from Texas Christian University in June. The next oldest ones are going to be seniors in high school and don’t know yet where they want to go to college. Trevor was very busy in the fall of 2018 attempting to persuade the Republican majority in the Texas legislature to pass some meaningful laws. Trevor and Linda report that they are blessed with good health. • Dave Eberhardt enjoys retirement “bigly” and is working at his classical piano. • Bruce Larsen is still enjoying life in Santa Fe, N.M. His tennis game is still at the height of mediocrity, but he claims that it is at the median among his compatriots. Bruce and Mary-Anne received the Santa Fe Community Foundation award for philanthropy last year, as well as the Museum of New Mexico Foundation award for philanthropy. Mary-Anne is active in the Santa Fe Community Foundation and, particularly, on the grants committee. Summer in Santa Fe is busy, so they stay put then but will return to Japan in November for foliage and a first-time visit to the Art Islands. • John Lowrie retired from Reynolds Metals Co. in 2000 after spending 12 years managing their consumer products business (e.g., Reynolds Wrap, plastic wrap, Cut Rite wax paper). Prior to that, he was with Durkee (spice company), Morton Frozen Foods, and Vicks following “three fun years” in the U.S. Navy. Retirement in 2000 led

Gordon Wozak ’58 and his wife, Elsbeth, visited Horus Temple in Edfu, Egypt.

Bob Starzel ’58 and his granddaughter, Pema

John and his wife into extensive global travels and a second home in Bonita Springs, Fla. (Their primary home for about 30 years was in Richmond, Va.) Sadly, John’s travel partner passed away a while ago. John has since met a new best friend who was planning to become his new mate in June. John says that God has been good to him, and he believes there are many good years ahead. • John Patten enjoyed the graduation of his last granddaughter and looks forward to the graduation of his only grandson next year. John is recovering from a half-knee replacement and spending a lot of time in physical therapy and walking. As of June, John was planning various far-flung trips to model railroad shows. He was also planning a trip to Peru during the winter of 2019–20 to visit a granddaughter working in the Peace Corps. • Greg “Ducky” Pond, once upon a time the esteemed trombonist of the Hermon Knights, currently plays the piano and harp with Jon, the youngest of his four sons, in a small group called Spare Souls. (Search for Spare Souls on YouTube.) Jon has composed approximately 16 original songs but also covers traditional favorites, such as “Hit the Road Jack” and “House of the Rising Sun.” A second CD is in the works. Greg’s oldest son, Jeff, has two children and works at Deutsche Bank; second son, Steve, graduated from MIT, currently works for BAE Systems, and has three children; third son, Nathan, is the member of a law firm with Brad Cook ’57. Son Jon has one child and works in graphic design and computers. • Mike and John Quenell are still doing the snowbird thing, as they have for the past six years. Each year they spend a little more time in Florida and a little less time in northern New York. They are gradually discovering there are things to do in Florida besides golfing, such as canoeing and birding. For fellow NMH alums who are interested in exciting literature, John still has a few copies of the 60th reunion booklets available and quite a few of the 50th reunion books as well. • Contact me for John’s phone number if you’re interested. • Mary Beth and Bob Starzel moved from

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San Francisco to Arroyo Grande to be with their granddaughter, Pema Elizabeth (who was adopted from Kazakhstan as a baby), and her family. The Starzels’ home, on a hill, backs onto a large pasture with nine horses. The hills, oceans, and dense California oaks make Arroyo Grande a paradise. • In December 2018, John Stone had a laminectomy and L3-4 fusion after an accident on his boat. The operation, performed by two surgeons with whom Trinka Craw Greger had previously worked, was a success. As of June 2019, John’s and Trinka’s lives were gradually returning to normal after a demanding and stressful year. The doctors say it will take John a full year to recover. (Trinka says that it will take her a year to recover as well.) One of the hardest things will be selling the boat, as the sale will represent the end of a long and happy era. • Steve “Seaweed” Walker built an 18-foot schooner over the previous two winters, and was ready to launch it last June. Steve said the project was a lot of fun, but that he will never be a real boat builder. Nevertheless, Steve invites classmates to come sail with him if you are in Rhode Island! • Elsbeth and Gordon Wosak joined an excellent Road Scholar trip to Egypt in October 2018. • Ellen Watson Payzant and Tom Payzant are new great-grandparents! Ellen’s brother, TJ, spent six months in Germany working for his company, Uponor. Their grandson, Kai, graduated from the Tokyo campus of Temple University in June. Ellen and Kai’s parents attended. They spent a wonderful 10 days exploring Tokyo with Kai before his graduation. They all then rushed home to attend the high school graduation of Kai’s twin brothers. They will both attend the University of Utah. The graduations were a bit bittersweet, since Tom could not be with the family in Japan or at the graduation ceremonies, although he was able to celebrate with everyone afterward at home. Tom’s Alzheimer’s has unfortunately advanced. He lives around the corner from Ellen in a wonderful assistedliving and memory-care facility. He is happy and well cared for. The family visits often and frequently bring him home for meals and family events. It is a crime that he is no longer able to contribute his vast experience and educational knowledge with others. This year, Ellen was able to participate in the 125th anniversary of Sacred Concert. She stays active singing in her church choir, exercising, and volunteering where needed. • Your reporter (Bill Hawley) and my wife, Betsy, had a great April visit with our Scottsdale-resident son and daughter and their families, as well as a mini reunion with

NMH Magazine

law school classmates in Sedona, Ariz. We also enjoyed a visit from our oldest granddaughter, Emma, in Alaska in June 2019, playing in the snow at the top of the tram at Alyeska, the local ski area, and hiking around Anchorage. We were planning to tour Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Helsinki in the fall.

Northfield Mount Hermon Nancy Bissell Goldcamp 2002 Chantilly Drive Sierra Vista, AZ 85635 ngoldcamp@cox.net • Ty Bair Fox tybfox@aol.com • Tom Baxter baxtg741@comcast.net From Ty: Our 60th reunion was fantastic! Twenty women from Northfield School for Girls and 30 men from Mount Hermon gathered on campus and enjoyed the festivities during a beautiful weekend. Music by the Dubious Brothers (Steve Knapp, Clark Peters, and Charles Wantman), a talk by Soren West about his 2,200-mile trek on the Appalachian Trail at age 75, and the Hymn Sing and Shabbat services made this time together memorable. • Another highlight was our memorial service, led by Peter Olson, as we recalled the classmates who had died since our last reunion. Class gift chairs Karen Forslund Falb and Nancy Johnson and their callers succeeded in making our women the most generous class in terms of participation, at 32.6 percent. • Carol Crary Nordmann is living in Tubac, Ariz., in the winter and enjoying the adventure of the West. • Lori Dingman Wadsworth was on a cruise up the coast of Norway at the time of our reunion, traveling as far as the Arctic Circle in hopes of seeing polar bears. She and her husband, Chris, are planning to move into a retirement community in Lexington, Mass., this winter. • Heidi Jousson Fitch moved to Oregon from Montana 10 years ago to escape the long winters. She and her husband, Jeff, love hiking. • Louise Klinck Ferrebee enjoys living in Old Lyme, Conn., where she grew up. Her two daughters, one of whom went to NMH, live in Telluride, Colo., so Louise doesn’t get to see her grandchildren very often. • Dee MacKinnon Love said she was sorry not to be with all of us at reunion. She and her husband, Ralph, were cruising the Danube from Budapest to Germany at the time. • Susan Taylor Gillespie and her husband have moved to Bellingham, Wash. Unfortunately, Susan has been dealing with some health issues. She said that Jane Stevenson Fergus lives in western Pennsylvania and has four sons. • Shirley Kelley Tyschen and her husband, Bill, came for lunch during our reunion. They

were attending Bill’s reunion at Wilbraham and Monson Academy. It was wonderful to see her. Shirley and Bill are happily retired in Bonita Springs, Fla., and make visits to Colorado, where their two children live. • Judy Holbrook Hurlbut and her husband are living in a retirement community in Lititz, Penn. They are enjoying life and participate in community activities. They see their two sons and six grandchildren often. • Donna Hayes Kennedy retired in 2014 after a 37-year career as an academic librarian at Northeastern University. She’s enjoying retirement and keeping busy with volunteer work, tai chi, and travel. She still lives in her house in Winchester, Mass. Three of her children live in the Boston area; the fourth lives in Toronto. Her grandchildren are geographically scattered, but it’s fun when they get together. • On a sad note, Nancy Bissell Goldcamp’s husband, Bill, passed away shortly after our reunion in June after being in ill health for some years. We extend to Nancy our condolences. • From Tom: Our 60th reunion was fantastic! We started with a mystery: Our class numbers on senior rock had been filled with gold leaf. Who could have done this? It became clear when Buddy Brennan showed his handsome countenance. • We ended the Saturday evening of reunion with Steve Cohen reciting a poem he penned to commemorate our weekend. It goes as follows: “My brothers and sisters reune / Every five years or so. / We shall continue to do it, / As long as we can go. / The youth that we shared / Is alive through the years; / When one of us hurts, / We each shed real tears. / As life takes us forward, / At age we don’t rage / Whatever may happen, / We won’t disengage. / We shall take every step / And be present for good. / There’s no other choice; / We’ll live life as we should.” • Charles MacCracken thanks the committee members for the work they did to make this reunion a success. “Also, a big thank you to gregarious Pete Welsh who (re)introduced me to many of my classmates. He made my first reunion a memorable and delightful experience. Soren’s presentation of some of his 3,000 pictures and his commentary about his hike of the Appalachian Trail was both instructive and hilarious. I look forward to reading his book. I have always given just to the NMH Fund on the theory that the administration would know best how to use the money. I did not realize that the class of ’59 has a dedicated Scholarship Fund until Ty Bair Fox explained it Saturday night.” • Clark Peters shared, “I thoroughly enjoyed our reunion and have been searching for the right words to sum it up. Expected warmth,

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humor, and conviviality, which were … in abundance, as well as a spirit of caring … Could not have been better in preparations and attendance. We even had some new people.” • Jim Kondras (husband of the late Barb Mackin Kondras) also enjoyed reunion: “Campus and weather spectacular, glad to see so many looking well. Sorry I couldn’t do more, but loved what I could do. Memorial service was moving and appropriate, and [I was] glad to see emphasis on values and spiritual significance for all from our era.” • Another reunion attendee, Paul White, wrote, “How wonderful it was that so many friends came together, but we surely missed those who could not join us. In the months prior to our fete, Margaret and I continued settling into our new life here in Bend, Ore., welcoming visits from family and friends. In this bike-friendly city, I borrowed a bicycle from a friend and have been learning all over again how to balance on two wheels. A new bike of my own may not be too far away, and I may have to imitate Dave Silver and join the next NMH Reunion Pie Ride.” • And our last reflection of our reunion weekend came from Eric Hill: “Having been hesitant to attend our reunion from the beginning, I must say I am pleased that I was able to come out of the woods and show up. My mind said, ‘You don’t know anyone and you won’t be known by anyone.’ That turned out to be so wrong. I drove to Hayden to find my room, not knowing with whom I was bunking, and was pleased to find it was Jim Newman, who had been my wrestling nemesis the year I tried to learn the sport and compete. Interesting that through the years that memory of losing every wrestle-off to him lingered with me. Not that it was a negative … just a memory … To say the weekend was great is an understatement. So well planned, such wonderful classmates in attendance, such a pleasure to have the ladies there, great events with no overload … I can only say to all who chose not to attend for any reason, you truly missed a gathering that perhaps will not be replicated. I hope you all come to the next one.” • Peter Welsh wants everyone to know that he is preparing a scrapbook of our 60th reunion that will rival the one we enjoyed in Hayden during our leisure time. • Peter Crumb was recognized by the Western Massachusetts Substance Addiction Providers Association, who presented him with their Lifetime Achievement Award. Peter said, “The [award] presenter reviewed my career for the past 40 years, primarily focusing on my work in developing school substanceabuse response programs in area schools, as well as all kinds of clinical work. A big surprise was when State Senator Eric Lesser

called me to the podium to present me with an ‘Official Citation’ from the Senate. This was special because Eric, who is a champion of addiction treatment in Massachusetts, was once a member of my peer counseling group at Longmeadow High School. My acceptance speech echoed back to NMH. I quoted Albert Schweitzer: ‘The only ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve.’” Peter added that he’s now a great-grandfather!

Northfield Mount Hermon Phil Allen philhallen@gmail.com • Sheila Raymond Hazen sfernh@centurylink.net From Sheila: Greetings to the great class of 1960! • Sally Novotny Gedney retired in January 2012 following 35 years as director of social work at the local hospital in Burlingame/San Mateo, Calif. Since then, she and her husband have enjoyed traveling and spending time with their two daughters, Sarah ’86 and Elizabeth ’92, and their five grandchildren. In July 2017, Sally had surgery for a benign spinal tumor. She reported that she’s making “slow, steady progress” toward a full recovery. Sally and her husband are planning on taking a European river cruise that includes a stop to attend the “Passion Play” at Oberammergau, Germany, in July 2020. Sue Sawyer McAlary wrote that she and husband Brian had just returned from a 10-day European cruise on the Danube, with stops at Prague, Vienna, and Budapest. “Lots of beautiful art and architecture, and history that I had mostly forgotten,” Sue said. She found Nuremberg to be very moving: they saw the War Crimes Court. • Mary “Sandy” Stevens lives in Princeton, N.J. Her daughter, Elizabeth, is an associate professor of theater at Swarthmore. And last November, Elizabeth’s husband, Andrew Simonet, had his first book, Wilder, published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Sandy is doing lots of work remotely; she volunteers for MoveOn.org, and is employed at Braun Research. She’s also involved in her Quaker meetings, takes online courses, and reads a lot. • For the sixth year, Jan Pagdin Simpson volunteered for the AARP Foundation’s tax aid program. Her group prepared more than 1,000 federal and state tax returns for free for seniors and low-income taxpayers. Jan wrote, “I really recommend this program for those interested.” • Catherine Morris Lloyd married Brian Lloyd, an Earlham College classmate, in 1967. They were then both grad students at the University of Vermont. She spent her entire working life at the University of

Alums like you frequently say, “I wish I could do more.”

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Vermont, first in the Sponsored Programs office, then 29 years as administrator, then assistant director, of the Office of Health Promotion in the College of Medicine. She and Brian have three children, the last of whom, Alex, spent a postgraduate year at NMH. She was “surprised by the joy she felt” when he made this decision. She retired in 2006, and within the next six weeks, she became co-guardian of a little girl, age 2. She now lives in a retirement community of single-family homes and enjoys “caring for the yard, attracting and watching birds, visiting with friends and neighbors, reading, listening to music, and keeping up with family.” • Five of our classmates — three Northfield, two Mount Hermon — came back to sing in Sacred Concert last May. Director of Choral Music Sheila Heffernon hoped that 125 alums would sing in the 125th Sacred Concert. I heard that about 60 came back to campus to sing. • Karl Radune reported that our class had the largest number of returning singing alums. Karl had a total joint replacement of his left knee in mid-February, so he registered to sing “with

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some reservations” because he was not sure that he’d be able to climb up the auditorium benches and do the necessary standing and sitting throughout the weekend. He brought his collapsible trekking poles with him, and he participated without problems. Karl said, “Once again, I enjoyed the experience of meeting and singing with the students, and being part of a wonderful performance.” • Bob Kidder was the other Hermonite from our class who sang in Sacred Concert. In September 2018, he and his partner, Louise, moved to Greenfield, 15 miles from Northfield, and he decided to “make a stab at the whirlwind rehearsal schedule” of the Sacred Concert weekend. He loved the cultural variety in the program. The concert did not begin with Schubert’s “Omnipotence,” as it so often did years ago, but it did close with the Northfield Benediction. Bob found this musical ending to be “a soothing moment that produced tears for many, including me. Kudos to Sheila Heffernon for her excellent achievement in organizing and teaching us old-timers …” • Marcia Bonnemort Luetzelschwab also sang in

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NMH Magazine

Sacred Concert this year, as did her daughter, Dana Luetzelschwab ’86. Marcia enjoyed the chance to talk with our former classmates who returned to sing. The alums who sang came from several generations at Northfield, Mount Hermon, and NMH. “Things have really changed over the years,” said Marcia, “but the music is still meaningful, and Sheila [Heffernon], Steve [Bathory-Peeler, director of orchestral and band music], and the students work hard to produce the concert.” • Susie Hill Kelly was another classmate who sang at Sacred Concert. She said, “It really was a joyous occasion; the music was beautiful, and student choirs and orchestra were very accomplished, and the team of Sheila and Steve as music masters is exceptional!” Susie retired after teaching for 45 years. She traveled to the West Coast for her nephew’s wedding, and while she was there, she visited with her Northfield roommate and classmate, Susie Appel Flynn, in Los Angeles; they hadn’t seen each other for about 25 years. As for the future, she said she has “no other special plans for now ... letting retirement evolve!” Susie later sent a kind of postscript: “I will only add that actually going back and participating in something at the school does bring back so vividly all the positive recollections of time there … That experience was the foundation of the rest of my life path, in many tangible and intangible ways!” • Another of our Sacred Concert singers, Katy Gordon Kline, said it was the first time she returned to NMH to sing. She recalled that the weather was “unglorious” — cold and wet, as it had been through the spring in the Northeast. But the Northfield campus looked beautiful; she saw work in progress on some dorms and classrooms in preparation for the opening of Thomas Aquinas College on the campus. At home, Katy sings with a chorale of 50 voices and a 22-voice women’s chorus; in that group, there are two other Northfield alums, both of whom returned to sing in Sacred Concert. Katy also puts in many hours working at a nonprofit used bookstore, whose sales go to support the excellent local public library. There’s more time for these activities after her retirement from the museum business about 10 years ago. • I, Sheila Raymond Hazen, was scheduled for a hip replacement the day after Sacred Concert, but in mid-April, the surgeon canceled it. I then gave some thought to singing at Sacred Concert, but the logistics were overwhelming. Maybe next year. And maybe lots of the great class of 1960 will return for our 60th reunion in June 2020. Let’s put it on our calendars! In the meantime, do send me news of what you’ve

been doing so our class will have lots of news in the next NMH Magazine. • From Phil: Please remember our 60th reunion, coming in June 2020, and get on the airwaves to your friends to join the fun. • Jay Swett wrote, “Hard to believe we are coming up on 60 years next year. Still have great memories of our times at Mount Hermon. Football, lacrosse, potatoes in Minor Hall, weekends with Northfield dates, Jerry Burdick, Doc Westin, Tom Lyons, Rod Scheffer, Vit Piscuskas, Al Higgins, Layng Martine, Zeke Streeter, Doug Barrett, Barry Brooks, and so many others come to mind. Sadly, we remember our great lost classmates, Barry Nolan and Tom Draper. Over the last year, I reconnected with Sheila Raymond Hazen — her father was Albert Raymond, our choir director. Sheila has been living in Charlottesville, Va., for the last 40 years, as we have. I came to Charlottesville for law school (class of 1972) and could not leave. Remained here until I recently retired. Married a girl from Denison, and we are coming up on 55 years next February [2020]. Other than our dark moments in August of 2017, Charlottesville has been a wonderful place to live and raise a family. Our two children are here and each has two children, so our lives are blessed with four grandchildren close by. Also reconnected with Bruce McClintock. He, Bruce Levinsky, and I played lacrosse at Denison … Bruce M. sounds good and seems to enjoy living in Boston. Have not heard from Bruce L. for some time. Doubt I will make it for our 60th next year, although one never knows for sure. Best to you and all other members of our great class of 1960.” • Steve Wasnok shared, “My wife and I stopped at NMH in early May this year en route to an inn that we like in New Hampshire. We took a walk to the chapel and spent some time looking for and finally found the ‘1960’ inscription on a rock by the chapel. With the lichen and weathering, it was extremely hard to identify. Kristin Kellom ’80 told us it was tradition for the carving to be done by class members from 1940 to 1970, and we wondered who sculpted ours. After that, classes used a professional to chisel the numbers in the rock, so they are much easier to find and read. Perhaps we should consider restoring the carving before our 60th reunion. In February, Bob Macomber met several college classmates, including Chris Olmstead, in Philadelphia for a sports weekend at Penn. Chris had met one of the players’ moms on his flight from Atlanta. We watched the Penn/Dartmouth and Penn/ Harvard basketball games, and afterward, through her, we met some of the Penn players, including three young NMH

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graduates: Jackson Donahue ’15, AJ Brodeur ’16, and Collin McManus ’15. Engaging and very well-spoken young men. In early April, Debbie and I traveled to Beirut to visit our daughter, Melissa, and their three daughters. [Melissa’s] husband is head of school at American Community School of Beirut. We found Beirut to be a warm, friendly, and lively city.” • An update from George Banziger included, “I have joined a group of concerned people who are giving presentations on the science of climate change and what young people can do to address climate change. We’re doing these presentations in science classes at middle and high schools in West Virginia and southeastern Ohio. This peek into the world of secondary public education is illuminating and a far cry from our experiences at Mount Hermon. I am also volunteering for the food recovery program in our area (truck driving and grant writing); also doing grant work for a multi-use trail in our township; and still working on issues of interfaith dialogue in our region, which is not very religiously diverse. Just finished teaching and presenting a course, Healing the Divide, for the Institute for Learning in Retirement at Marietta College. Hope to offer a follow-up course on skills of civil discourse in our politically polarized world, modeled after a similar course for retirees at Gettysburg College. At this point, I do expect to attend our 60th reunion.” • It is great to hear from Paul Santos: “My non-family activities these days go into several things: the Santos Family Foundation (fdnweb.org/santos), which focuses on improving vehicular safety and sponsors research in that field, and the Belmont Food Collaborative (belmontfood. org), where I help run the Belmont Farmers’ Market, which prepares food year-round and is open to the public June-October. I am also very active in our local Unitarian-Universalist church, particularly in our Small Group Ministry, which I find helps me with my spiritual needs. My wife, Anne Stuart, and I have a blended family of four children (including Dante ’10) and two grandchildren (13 and 6 months). I have not had much contact with other classmates since our 15th reunion, but I am thinking of returning to campus for our 60th.”

Northfield Mount Hermon Alexandra Groome Scopteuolo sandis10992@yahoo.com • Craig Walley operacraig@aol.com From Sandi: Next time, if you want your classmates to know about your current life, please send me an email or call me. •

By the time you read this, my family will all have gone on a Mediterranean cruise from Venice. We spent extra days in Italy and Paris, and one final day in London. In September, I’ll have gone to a convention for Youngevity in San Diego. I love to travel! • Remember that every dollar is important for donations to NMH. Grants are figured on percentages, not dollar amounts. • From Craig: Bruce Schwanda wrote, “Anne and I traveled to Normandy [in] April, and it was a fantastic trip. Standing on Omaha Beach was very moving, something that should be on everyone’s bucket list. I went to the Czech Republic [from] May 27 to June 2 with my cousin, John Jacobson, to visit with some Svanda relatives (spelling changed to Schwanda when my grandfather emigrated). We stayed in Prague and visited Hlinsko, where all the Svandas were from. Prague is a beautiful city, but very crowded, as it is a main tourist destination in Europe ... it’s like Times Square on New Year’s Eve on the weekends! All well down south, and I shot a 79 several weeks ago; still working on shooting my age, hopefully before I turn 100!”

Northfield Louise Cole Nicollet lnicollet@gmail.com I was sad to announce in my May 2019 email to classmates the passing of Carolyn “Car” Gardiner Farrington on 3/18/19 in Philadelphia, where she lived for more than a decade. Kathe Dennison Chipman, who was Car’s roommate in Merrill-Keep, wrote, “On a lovely sunny morning, Helen Thomas and I attended the memorial service in Philadelphia, at which ‘Jerusalem’ was sung and tributes were abundant.” Carolyn graduated magna cum laude from University of Massachusetts Amherst; received two advanced degrees from the State University of New York; published several short stories and two books, including Sea of Glass; and lectured and chaired writing committees about writing for diversity. She was also a strident advocate for changes to the legal, medical, and provider systems as they relate to and impact people dealing with mental health issues, their families, and those who provide services to both. Carolyn was predeceased by her son, Mark. At Northfield, Carolyn was among several Merrill-Keep girls who were on the board of The Lit (our NSFG student literary magazine), where she first published. Our yearbook entry for her describes her as ‘M-K’s own Emily Dickinson,’ and she indeed participated in monthly meetings of a scholarly Dickinson group during the years she lived in Amherst.

Longtime NMH archivist Peter Weis ’78 kindly provided copies of Car’s work prior to the memorial service. • My husband, Jean-Claude, and I had a wonderful time in Spain (Barcelona and Alcanar) in June with Michèle Butzbach, whom some of you may remember as the French teaching assistant brought to Northfield by French teacher Nancy Wilkins Klein. Nancy met Michèle in summer 1961 during an Experiment in International Living stay in Alsace (Michèle is originally from Belfort, France). After 50 years, I found Michèle via the internet. She has spent most of her life in Spain, first as a teacher of French as a foreign language, then as a consultant and coach for executives in various fields. She has three children, all of whom also live in Spain. We have become close friends with Michèle and see her twice a year when she drives through France to visit her family near Belfort. (I am still in contact with my beloved teacher Nancy, who lives in Florida.) • Martha McHutchison reported, “Sharon Dennis Elmore and I discovered that we were living in the same town (Madison, Conn.) about 10 years ago. Then, several years later, I helped her buy a lot in Essex, where she has built a beautiful house, and my husband and I downsized to a small house in Guilford. Meanwhile, Sharon and I have continued to see each other and take yoga together every Thursday night, as we have for many years.” • Cynthia Maurer Barnard shared, “Besides our ongoing ‘Ladies of the Pen’ news in the last issue, I can report of our (my husband David and I) big downsizing effort to move to a cabin on Casco Bay, in Yarmouth, Maine. Downsizing is not the easiest when you come across the letters you sent home to your parents from Northfield days. I have files from every job since graduation. I inherited all the family genealogy files and pictures back to the days of daguerreotypes of my grandmother’s grandmother. On the one hand, it has been a celebration of memories, but, on the other hand, it still is hard to let go of the family stuff! We have no storage, i.e., closets, basement, or attic. The next generation in our family is not interested. So the story continues. I also am training to do one-quarter or a relay of a marathon in Portland, Maine. That means walking as fast as possible, and for me, on a good day, that is a 14:30-minute mile. Our team is ‘Wise Women Doing It’ (a spinoff from the Nike logo, ‘Just Do It’!). Each year I get a little slower, so it will be interesting to see what I do on my 80th birthday. I have run a marathon in each decade! I … enjoy singing with our Yarmouth Community Chorus, which usually sings at

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nursing homes. For the last three years, we have also sung at Yarmouth High School in their auditorium period and with all their choruses for the spring concert … I hope everyone is hanging in there in true NSFG/ NMH style. I hope to be back for the next reunion!” • Ann Crosby wrote, “I moved from Santa Barbara, Calif., where I lived for 41 years in the mountains to central Washington State and now live in a very small town in a river valley there. I have started a mini orchard of hazelnuts with several chestnuts and nut pines … I enjoy tending them and watching new buds that will cross-pollinate to become hazelnuts! To solve my own health issues, I learned an ancient Japanese healing art that has made me well. I now offer sessions and problem solving to friends and neighbors and eventually will begin my own practice when my session room is completed. I began clairvoyant studies nine years ago and now teach in the Psychic School via a conference call setup. That has brought tremendous spiritual growth into my life. I am so grateful for this knowledge and to be able to share it. I want to give a warm shoutout to my friends at Northfield, and I think of that time in our lives that we spent together so long ago. May we prosper as we move into our elderhood, offering friendly thoughts and options to younger folks from all that we have learned. May we remain useful and move toward wisdom, which is in fairly short supply these days.” • Pamela Thompson Baldwin asked, “Does anyone have any news of Sandy Warren (both her maiden name and coincidentally her married name)? When last heard from, she lived in Northampton, Mass., and was leading a private Jewish day school there, but that was a long time ago, and I much regret losing touch with her. Efforts to find her through online platforms have so far been unsuccessful. Please contact Louise Cole Nicollet, our class secretary, if you have any information about Sandy.” • Judith Coffey Russell reported, “I have just completed

Former NMH assistant French teacher Michèle Butzbach, left, and her daughter, Laura, spent time with Louise Cole Nicollet ’62 and her husband during a Barcelona holiday in June 2019.

NMH Magazine

12 years as the dean of university libraries at the University of Florida, and I am still enjoying it very much. I would welcome visitors if you are in or near Gainesville.” • Ellen Reiss Barry’s husband of 45 years, Paul, passed away five years ago. “While the stone of his absence remains constantly in my pocket, I am blessed by good health and quite a bit of fulfilling work in the theater. I serve as a consultant to off-Broadway and regional theaters, and continue to act. Most recently, I’ve been busy with my original one-woman performance, The Infinite Variety of Shakespeare’s Women, which has been seen at theaters, libraries, among other places, in New Jersey and Massachusetts, and at Southern Rep in New Orleans. I’ll be repeating it for the Massachusetts New Century Theatre in September. This past fall, I had an extraordinary time playing the grandmotherly-lovable-murderous-racist matriarch of the female auxiliary of the Ku Klux Klan in a small Alabama town in the 1960s – the premiere of a new play at the Ivoryton Playhouse in Connecticut. An exhausting, controversial, but exhilarating experience that provoked deeply meaningful postshow discussions for our troubled times … My daughter, Shannon, her husband, Chris, and their children, Riggins (9) and Teagen (8), are the loves of my life. My door in Morristown, N.J., is open to any former classmates.” Contact class secretary Louise Cole Nicollet for Ellen’s email address.

Mount Hermon Eric Riedel riedelNMH62@gmail.com Our notes are brief, and I hope you’ll make an effort to provide more news in the future. I also apologize for not sending a reminder message. Health issues have put me out of commission for several months. • Jeffrey Lewis has been out of touch for many years. His reconnection was prompted by the realization that NMH surrounds him. “In a small prayer group in the church I attend in Brattleboro, Vt., where I have lived for 16 years, are three other alums: Craig Hammond ’60, William Stearns ’65, and Nancy Barber ’56. In addition, my sister and brother-in-law are both ’70, and my business partner’s two daughters are NMH: one ’16, the other ’22. I am also but 10 miles from the hallowed campus. All that to say NMH is never far from my awareness.” Jeffrey continued, “Time has slowly buffered the taste of my experience at our school: it was not right for me, nor I for it. The life timing was off, which set my life a bit off-kilter from there on. Thus, it is interesting to come to

rest a few mountain tops from Overton and Crossley Halls. I have from time to time played the ’62 Christmas Concert to hear all our voices … ” Jeffrey received an education through seminary, 10 years in parish ministry, 20 years in corporate life, and 20 subsequent years in consulting, senior management, and economic development. He has “mostly” retired and runs the local world-class circus school, which he calls one of the best experiences of his life. • Paul Wade sends greetings from “sunny London.” He said that “it would have been nice to take part in the International Carnival (see page 31 of the last magazine issue). Bangers and mash anyone?” • Peter Tietjen ’64 is looking for “someone from the Mount Hermon class of ’62 who has truly mint condition LPs of both the 1960 Vespers and the 1961 Sacred Concert. I’d simply like to borrow them for a couple of weeks so that I might record them from my high-end turntable into digital files. I’ve already done this with the Vespers and Sacred Concert LPs I own, which include those for the class of 1962. Over the years, many people have asked me about a variety of old recordings, and I’ve been happy to oblige when I can.” Peter also reflected on Toby Wesselhoeft. “Toby and I always met at the gym after supper to shoot hoops and solve the riddles of the world, including how to dissect a frog … for our biology class lab … Imagine my surprise, following Toby’s badly mangled froggy on the paraffin tray, that he became a physician! I saw Toby for the last time at the 2006 Vespers. He never missed a Vespers.” • Mike Menne moved out west and said, “The West Coast is OK — lots of good music, but I’m feeling more isolated than I expected. Trying to catch up on ‘deferred maintenance’ of the body has occupied much of my time!”

Northfield Mount Hermon Diane Sewall Chaisson diane@meadowlarks-farm.net • Willard Thomen wthomen@stfrancis.edu From Diane: My life recently, like yours, has been challenging. Full of celebrations, medical issues (not mine), and political upheaval. For celebration, I had an opportunity to sing in the 125th Sacred Concert! Dave Robinson was the only other ’63 alum. We shared a few meals together during the busy weekend. My husband, Bill, has been contending with balance issues for over a year, dealing with physical therapy that hasn’t worked, and is now on to a new back surgery. That has put our already paid-for trip to Alaska into the challenging status. At this point, we still plan to go, but

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with significantly reduced activity. Wheelchairs through airports should at least be a welcome aid and provide early seating. I continue to be concerned for the state of our democracy in this current political atmosphere. I feel like I am fighting for the same rights and values that we were concerned about in the 1960s upon leaving Northfield. Following many of you on Facebook, I know you are in the same place. All we can do is stay informed, volunteer, and support the causes that are so important for equal rights, women’s rights, and those that show what we learned at NMH. • I recommend following the many classmates on Facebook: Wendy French Palm, Susan Hines Rohrbach, Debby Eaton Peck, Karen Eldred Stephan, Susan Hemenway Nealon, Carol Plummer, Linda Olsen Coblentz, Leslie Leonard Foster, Margie Attwater Mosher, Harriet Goff Guerrero, among others. I thank Debby Eaton Peck and Debbie Jenks for beautiful, inspiring nature photos of birds and flowers. Many of us enjoyed the blue-footed booby and all his antics! Sharing trips, pets, and family celebrations via this medium is a real treat. • As for direct communications: Over the Sacred Concert weekend, I heard from both Nancy Browning Freiheit and Susan Browning Christman inquiring about the state of the class scholarship fund. They were both surprised to hear about the current level of the fund, which is $255,500. We support a student every year, but we are not yet self-sustaining. The goal is $1 million. Everyone should make a donation to this fund at whatever level is possible for them. Just designate “The Class of 1963 Scholarship Fund” at the time of your gift. This scholarship should be funded by all of us, not just a few. • Lydia Adams Davis continues to play and sing at many venues in the New York area, and has taken on a new persona as Abigail Adams in some of her presentations. • Joan Erlanger wrote of her spring garden, and strawberry season, and her granddaughter, Alyssa, who graduated from University of Florida last year and is working in human resources, getting her feet wet. Alyssa’s younger sis, Julia, completed her training as an ultrasound tech in September and has already secured a position at one of the hospitals where she has been a student. Joan’s son (Alyssa and Julia’s dad) has retired after 31 years with the power company. He agrees that retirement was the best job he’s ever had despite continuing to be active in flipping houses and engaging in community service. • Susan Freund Borden gets together with Mimi Woodcock Karlsson and John for lunch from time to time, visited

with Deb Jenks in March, dined with Pam Sargent Ryley and Roger in May, and looks forward to seeing Katie Steinmetz Dater and

Phil when they make their annual journey to the Connecticut shoreline. In the spring, Susan had a close encounter with a black bear visitor in her backyard! • Karen Eldred Stephen and husband Erwin moved from their German farm cottage into a larger house in the nearby village of Langendernbach, Dornburg. They now have a guest room for classmates traveling in Germany. Good news for all of you who were at the 50th reunion and remember that she was having a lot of trouble with a cough. After six long years, the medical profession has finally diagnosed the problem, removed the offending cells in her larynx, and Karen is on the mend. She has high hopes for future singing, so keep her in your thoughts and prayers. • Suzanne Abbott Ries reported that her husband won a Memorial Day costume contest and a weekend getaway to the Gaylord Palms Hotel in Orlando, so she’s looking forward to a relaxing weekend at some point. • Molly Hogan is hoping to go to a gathering of Sabeel (Christian Palestinian organization) in Jerusalem and Bethlehem in the first week of December. “Very difficult year financially,” shared Molly. She sang Brahms’ Requiem at the Green Music Center with Sonoma Bach. • Carol Tylor Kirk started off her year with a Mediterranean cruise from Rome to Barcelona on Viking, enjoying wonderful weather and taking lots of terrific pictures. Her next trip will be to Australia near Easter time to visit with friends in Brisbane. • A committed cyclist, Carol Waaser took a noncycling vacation in April: an adventure cruise in Alaska on a small ship, which included hiking, bushwhacking, and kayaking. “April turned out to be a great time to experience Alaska, even though it was chilly,” wrote Carol. “No mosquitoes, no big cruise ships, and less-than-full undergrowth in the forests, so bushwhacking wasn’t quite as difficult. We saw pretty much all of the Alaskan wildlife — land, sea, and air — and even had a display of the northern lights.” Carol continues to enjoy theater, museums, lectures, and concerts in New York City. • From Will: In reference to my trip to Ireland, Eric Erlandsen mentioned how much he loved his two trips to Galway on the west coast, especially visiting the pubs to enjoy the Guinness and hear the live bands playing, an experience he will never forget. “Try to understand the lyrics to their songs,” said Eric. • Rob Liotard and wife Marcia spend time volunteering “to keep ourselves off the streets,” said Rob. They

have shifted away from being foster parents to becoming guardians ad litem. Essentially, they are appointed by the court to help represent the interests of children in court who are involved with the Department for Children and Families. While the work is rewarding, Rob and Marcia do experience a wide range of disturbing situations. Though he’s completed his term on the local Habitat for Humanity board, Rob finds it fun and satisfying to build with them regularly. The best part is working alongside members of the family who will purchase the home and seeing the excitement of their kids as they identify the rooms that will become their bedrooms. Rob continues to sing with the Vermont Choral Union, a 36-member a cappella group. “It is great to be a tenor — always in demand.” He and Marcia also deliver Meals on Wheels, and he remains a member of the town’s development review board, so they are staying active in a meaningful way. • Dave Robinson saw Diane Sewall Chaisson at the 2019 Sacred Concert rehearsals and May performance. Following the memorable week, he enjoyed being in Prague in July 2018 with Tim Sullivan and Eric Erlandsen. Dave spent three additional weeks touring England and Wales. He visited his college roommate in Coventry and got up to Thirsk, in Yorkshire, to tour the James Herriot Museum, former home of the popular veterinarian and author of All Creatures Great and Small. • Bill Utley and his wife, Anne, celebrated their 40th anniversary in 2018 with two trips: first to Costa Rica for 11 nights, then a 14-night cruise on the Disney Wonder through the Panama Canal. Coincidentally, they were in Boston for Anne’s 50th high-school reunion, providing them the opportunity to attend services at Old North Church, where they were married, on their actual anniversary date. Another trip was to the Disney resort at Aulani on O’ahu with friends. Bill has co-authored and published a history book: Fort Niagara: The Key to the Inland Oceans and the French Movement to Dominate North America. Summer is archaeology season for Bill, so he was on a remote-sensing survey of Revolutionary War wrecks at Yorktown, Va. He also spends about one day a week at Gettysburg volunteering with the National Park Service for battlefield maintenance. • I made my first visit to Ireland in June, then nine days traveling through the midlands of England seeing Cotswold villages and English gardens, and revisiting the cities of Worcester and Lichfield. Thanks to all of you who responded to my appeal for class notes!

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Northfield Mount Hermon Pamela Street Walton pawalton4@gmail.com • Dave Mensel dmensel@gmail.com From Pam: For the more than 35 classmates and significant others who attended our 55th reunion, there was plenty of time to relax, discuss, and memorialize our friends. On Friday afternoon, we gathered in MacKinnon Cottage (housing with air-conditioning and elevators), and Jim Ault and Kit Andrews gave insight into the tumultuous years following the merger … the challenge presented by two campuses and coeducation, and the ultimate decision to consolidate and to sell our beloved Northfield campus. On Saturday, we visited Round Top (remembering our deceased classmates) and participated in convocation. Classmate David Burnett received the Community Service Award. We ate, drank (Dogfish Head IPA), and made merry! • Our classmates are continuing to travel, have mini reunions, love their grandchildren, and volunteer for organizations that support the NMH head, heart, and hand philosophy. While some are retiring, others are taking “retirement positions”… and one is even beginning a new segment of her career. • Prior to reunion, Marcia Eastman Congdon enjoyed a mini reunion in early June at King Arthur Flour in Norwich, Vt., with Nancy Schouler Smith, Pat Dunkley Putnam, and Jean Thompson. Then it was on to reunion with Marcia’s husband, George. • Kathy Childs Jones conveyed several tidbits during reunion about herself and others: On the eve of reunion, Barbara Littwin reminded Kathy that years ago, when Barb’s brother taught at Deerfield Academy, they would drive through the Northfield campus … fond memories. At least we are still permitted to walk through the campus. The well-maintained buildings look much as we left them. Barb asked to be remembered to all, especially Kerry Horton and Bettina Briggs. Kathy’s travel in 2019 included a Boston Museum of Fine Arts tour-group trip to Crystal Bridges and the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Ark., established by Alice Walton (wish I could claim her as a relative). The group also went to Kansas City, Mo., to the Truman Presidential Library and the Nelson-Atkins Museum. Then, in May 2019, Bob and Gayle Landgraf Leaversuch and Kathy met at the Cape Ann Museum in Gloucester, Mass. They spent a delightful afternoon viewing maritime art, the paintings of Fitz Henry Lane, and learning about Folly Cove art. In

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the early evening, Becky Elwell Axelrod joined them for a seafood dinner. Becky now works three days per week at the Essex Historical Society and Maritime Museum. • Another Boston gal, Virginia “Weegee” Look Brooks had to forgo reunion with good reason. After more than 14 years working as a capital giving officer, she retired two weeks after our 55th and moved back to Vermont to her house in Hyde Park. She had a terrific run at Harvard and misses Cambridge, but is happy to be physically closer to her Vermont family and friends (especially her NMH friends). Whatever comes next, she left Harvard on a high note, having been named a Harvard Hero for her contributions to the university. Congratulations, Weegee! • Marcia Stacey Kemp was saddened that she missed reunion. She had to work; she has taken on a “retirement job” at a new assisted living facility. Much to her surprise, several of the residents are Northfield girls. • Joan Thatcher Tiffany and her husband, Ed, visited reunion for the day on Saturday. Joan shared that she was recently honored by United South End Settlements (USES) for her 30 years (yikes, time flies) of service on the board of directors. USES is a 125-year-old social service agency based in the South End of Boston. Joan also continues to work as senior director of the International Honors Program, a program of SIT and World Learning. She and Ed have four fabulous young grandchildren (ages 1 through 6), and are lucky to walk the 6-year-old to school most mornings. Summer 2019 included sailing races on Buzzard’s Bay. Pam Street Walton and Joan had a wonderful catch-up dinner together in Brattleboro, Vt., a couple of months prior to reunion. Pam continues to volunteer for library, conservation, and historic efforts in the Brattleboro/Keene area, and plays tennis, too. As a member of the Chesterfield Conservation Commission, she works to maintain the water quality of Spofford Lake by serving on the watertesting team, the steering committee for lake

grants, and the weed watch team, and acts as a liaison with New Hampshire Lakes. As a director of the Chesterfield Historical Society, she raised funds to purchase the 1831 Stone House in 2018. This iconic structure will become the Stone House Tavern Museum by 2023. For the Chesterfield Library, she is on the endowment committee and recently passed the baton as president to her husband, Ken. To take a break from meetings, tennis, and the winter cold, she and Ken spent February 2019 in Coronado, Calif. While there, they enjoyed catching up with Don Powell and wife Linda, and Sue Delaney McConche and her husband, Don, who live nearby in San Diego. • Karen Singer Baker arrived at reunion on Friday afternoon. After a three-day conference in Stamford, Conn., she drove home, unpacked, repacked, and picked up Norma Jean Chatfield on her way to campus. (They connected through our NMH website.) Karen went into private practice in July 2019 after almost 10 years of agency counseling. The name of her practice is Coastal Counseling and Recovery, accommodating southern Rhode Island and southeastern Connecticut. Her focus is on addiction recovery and mental health counseling. She is certified to teach four different programs about trauma and anger, and will be including both group therapy and individual counseling in her practice. While most of us are retired or considering retirement, Karen is still exploring her capabilities. You go, girl! • Lynne Schneider and her husband, Dick Fuchs (who both arrived at the 55th reunion with tans), continue to enjoy living on the Big Island of Hawaii. Anybody envious? • Finally, we all send thanks to Gail Myers Pare and Bob Eastman for their many years of planning and executing our reunions. Our 60th will be June 2024 … stay healthy! • Email me your news, send some of your “required minimum distribution” funds to our ’64 Scholarship Fund or our 1964 Unrestricted Endowment

From the class of ‘64: (L–R, front) Barb Hamilton Martin, Cindy Livingston, Kit Andrews, and Wynne Greenlaw Keller, and Lynne Schneider (top) at Barb’s summer home in Brooklin, Maine.

A ’64 Northfield mini reunion at the King Arthur Flour store in Norwich, Vt., included Marcia Eastman Congdon, Nancy Schouler Smith, Pat Dunkley Putnam, and Jean Thompson.

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Around the ’64 table at reunion were (from left) Sara Simon Stevens ’64, Dave Chosiad ’64, Paula Thompson, Jack Pare, Gail Myers Pare ’64, Bob Eastman ’64, Pam Street Walton ’64, and her husband Ken Walton.

Newlyweds Ellen Anthony ’65 (right) and husband Marty Hassell

wife keep pastoring their church (Greenfield Hill Congregational, Fairfield, Conn.) through exciting times. David continues to write; his latest essay, “My America,” ranked number one on Amazon Kindle for religious essays. • Jim Ault finds himself in semiretirement, but is still working on several documentary film projects, including one on Esperanza in North Philly and its exemplary work with inner-city youth. He attended a presentation given with classmate Kit Andrews at our 55th reunion, which focused on the forces at work leading to NMH’s coeducational merger and, 30 years later, on its consolidation on the Mount Hermon campus. He relates that one of our Northfield sisters commented that the presentation helped her finally overcome her anger about the decision to consolidate and come to peace with it. Jim notes that anyone who wants to understand those decisions should read his chapters 9 and 10 in Lift Thine Eyes. If you don’t have the book, (a great read, by the way) contact Jim and he will send you the chapters. Jim had a good conversation with Bob “Easty” Eastman at the 55th. (Easty is going through a hard, hard time after the unexpected loss of his son, a career naval aviator, so please keep him in your thoughts.) Jim had a screening at an annual gathering of the Yale-Edinburgh network of world Christianity scholars in New Haven at the end of June. He extended an invitation to any interested to join in a day trip to Northfield, where many important events in world Christian mission history took place during the summer conferences that D.L. Moody started. Twelve have signed up so far, and Julia Bachinski Wiggin ’81, who works for the new Moody Center, is offering hospitality. Attendees will visit the NMH archives to see materials from those conferences. • Johan Carl missed the 55th because he and his “white-haired-widowwoman” were floating down the Norwegian coast (he doesn’t say in what) and added that the scenery is as beautiful as travel posters suggest; the natives are much more friendly

than their ancestors (Vikings); and everyone under 40 probably speaks better English than we, as its study is mandatory in schools. Johan says he skied the best of his life last winter and since his 2011 hip replacement. He still swims and plays tennis regularly, although he doesn’t have the “billy goat legs” he used to have, as he continues his self-described “journey into senility.” • Pete Weston is enjoying retirement, volunteering, fly-fishing, seeing family and friends, reading, and, most important, his 2-year-old granddaughter. • And from me (Dave Mensel), on a personal note: I recently found a copy of So Much to Learn, the history of NMH’s first 100 years, while searching for a History of Northfield and information about a forebear, Benjamin Wright — a founder of the town. I highly recommend So Much to Learn. The book is full of interesting factoids about the schools’ early years, such as the composition of Mount Hermon’s first graduating class of just five students, which included a Choctaw Indian, a Chinese student, and an African American. We were diversified even way back then. And, just in time for the 400th anniversary (2020) of the arrival of the Mayflower (1620) in Plymouth Harbor, and after hundreds of hours of searching, I discovered I am a direct descendant of nine of the Mayflower’s passengers. What a hoot.

Challenge (thank you, Clif Cates and Peter Guild, for the $100,000 challenge as your

55th reunion gift), and do remember to forward any updated contact information, such as new email addresses, to addressupdates@nmhschool.org. • From Dave: Peter Guild “is very encouraged by seeing our new head of school in action. He is young, enthusiastic, dedicated to NMH’s mission, and has endless energy, which the entire staff, faculty, and board can see. His commitment and sincerity to do what needs to be done at the school is refreshing and infectious. I encourage all of our classmates to meet him and his wife, Linda, whenever they visit the area.” • Dan Snodderly, who has retired from his publishing job, commented on the passing of Curtis Blake, co-founder of the Friendly Ice Cream Company, and father of our deceased classmate, C. Channing Blake, who passed away in 1995. • Rich Laska notes that he, wife Marcia, and three dogs are back at their herb farm on the top of Allegheny Mountain in Bartow, W. Va., with weather akin to central Vermont. The farm overlooks the Green Bank Radio Telescope, which is being used to search for intelligent life elsewhere in the universe. Rich added, “God knows it’s a waste of time searching for intelligent life on this planet.” • If David Singer seemed a little under the weather at our 55th reunion, it’s because he didn’t get to his hotel until 1:30 a.m.; the fire alarm went off at 4:30 a.m.; and the smoke didn’t clear until 6 a.m. Such events are hard on our aging carcasses. • David Rowe’s mission work in India has established several schools for children. He is always asked why he would do such a thing or have such a priority, and he tells of the extraordinary blessing he had in going to Mount Hermon. He has a granddaughter at Mount Holyoke; a grandson excelling in “futbol” in India; a son caring for the trees around the U.S. Capitol; a daughter getting her master’s from Georgetown and currently in China; a son getting a master’s at Northeastern; and a daughter and family in India. He and his

Northfield Mount Hermon Wendy Swanson-Avirgan wsavirgan@aol.com • Henri Rauschenbach henri.rauschenbach@gmail.com www.northfieldmounthermon65.com From Wendy: “On June 2, 2019, Ellen Anthony married Marty Hassell! Imagine!” shared Ellen. Best wishes, Ellen and Marty! • From Sally Atwood Hamilton, “I was named volunteer of the year for the Friends of Pemaquid Lighthouse and honored at the annual gala of the American Lighthouse Foundation in April. Unfortunately, I was not able to be at the gala, but my lighthouse partner represented me. By the time people

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read the column, I will have spent a week in Virginia Beach with two of my college roommates; spent a week at Ocean Park, Maine, Mark’s childhood summer home; and some days on our favorite beach in Gloucester, in addition to many lazy summer days at our cottage in New Harbor, Maine. I expect to head back to Florida after Christmas with four cats. Fortunately, they are good travelers.” Sally also expressed her gratitude for all the supportive and loving cards and messages she received from classmates after Mark’s death. • Abby Ayres Bruce and Steve took a wonderful trip to Eastern Europe in spring that included a week in Budapest; four days in Eisenstadt, Austria, immersing in Haydn and the Esterházy; and a river cruise through Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Romania. They spent two weeks in Ireland (son Ben and family have moved to Dublin) in August with family, celebrating 50 years of wedded bliss. Abby wrote, “Yes, we have survived! Was surprised to receive a catch-up phone call from John Stinchfield, which I loved.” • Susan Brunnckow Oke wrote in May, “Playing the ukulele has been fun. We sang ‘Bottle of Wine’ the other day and it got me remembering the fun we had with the East Hall jug band” — also known as “Ethel and the Ethnics.” Other members were Suzanne King Wagner (who played the jug); Janis Finney Schilling, Betty Naughton, and Pris Prutzman on guitar; Anne Winter Forsyth on autoharp; Mary Young ’66 on washtub bass; and Susan Brunnckow Oke and me (Wendy Swanson Avirgan) on kazoo. • Linda Burden Tokarski moved to Front Royal, Va., to be closer to her son. “Definitely a major change, but I’m excited to be near family and avoid winter!” • Debbie Crockett Rice reported, “It’s been a busy traveling year: Scandinavia in June 2018 and Greece in September 2018. Just finished a transcontinental train trip on the Via Rail, Toronto to Vancouver. Still working two jobs and volunteering at the Edward Gorey Museum!” • Perry Hay Huntington shared, “Greg and I celebrated our 40th anniversary last year with a cruise through the Norwegian fjords. In late February, I went to Iceland, which more than lived up to its reputation as a beautiful place to see. Here in St. Petersburg, I continue to volunteer with the Free Clinic, especially the Men’s Shelter. At Christmas, I supply gift bags with things like wallets, socks, T-shirts, personal care items, gift cards, and backpacks, since most of the men come to the shelter with nothing. When I was delivering the bags last year, I heard the shelter’s director say, ‘She’s

NMH Magazine

Ellen Lougee Simmons ’65 visited with sleepy granddaughters Laurence Louise and Lucy in May 2019.

our Santa,’ which makes me happy … We still have our place, a converted church, on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. This year, we donated Patrick Rogan’s paintings of the Unionville soldiers to St. Stephens African Methodist Episcopal Church ... Although the Eastern Shore was home to both heroes Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass, it also was a slave-dependent plantation economy. Maryland was technically in the Union, but the Eastern Shore remained secessionist. After the Civil War, 18 veterans of the ‘United States Colored Troops’ returned to the Eastern Shore, where their families had been enslaved for generations. We owned the Rogan paintings for 10 years, and felt that now it’s time for someone else to appreciate them.” • Ellen Lougee Simmons has two new granddaughters, Laurence Louise and Lucy. Ellen noted, “That makes eight grandchildren for me: six girls and two boys.” • Margo Margolis wrote, “I have retired from my position as professor of painting at Tyler School of Art, Temple University, and am happy to be in New York full time. I am enjoying my four grandchildren, who are close by in Cobble Hill [Brooklyn]. It is great to be in the studio every day, and I am currently working toward an exhibition for fall 2019 in Boston. I was fortunate to be an artist in residence at the BAU Institute, Camargo Foundation, in Cassis, France, with other visual artists, poets, playwrights, and filmmakers.” • Margaret McGown shared, “In the spring of 2018, we started the process of selling our ambulance business, which we had owned and operated for 38 years. The process was derailed by my eye surgery and some rather difficult complications, but we finally finished the sale as of March 2019. We are looking forward to the next chapter. In November [2018], I went with a group to the South Dilley Detention Center in Dilley, Texas, to volunteer working with women from Central America to assist them in

preparing for their credible fear hearings in their attempt to gain asylum in the United States. These women were all from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, and have faced horrific violence in their countries, with threats of bodily injury to themselves and their children.” When she wrote, Margaret was planning to return to the detention center in June. “This was a life-changing experience for me,” she said. “I now have six grandchildren, ranging in age from 24 to 1. Emily (24) graduated from Hofstra University with a degree in marine biology and then took a two-year program to become a vet tech. Tanner graduated from the University at Buffalo a year ago with a major in English and has been living in Gainesville, Fla., working as a waiter while awaiting his girlfriend’s graduation. They plan to travel for a year, and then he will teach English as a second language. Duncan (21) is a sports management major at SUNY Cobleskill. Ella is in elementary school, Violet is 3, and William is 1. I love being a grandparent!” • Ann Steiner Clough wrote, “Our son, Andrew ’03, married Amanda Rey on May 11, in Rock Hill, N.Y. We had a mini NMH reunion, what with husband Jack Clough ’66, our daughter Liz ’97, and six of Andrew’s contemporaries, two of whom were among Andrew’s attendants.” • From Tanya Trinkaus Glass, “I’m still painting regularly, still trying to find myself! This year I won first place in one art show and best of show in another, with a large pastel, ‘Clustering Bursts,’ and had two solo shows and a group show — it was a busy fall and winter here in Naples, Fla. I was also spotlighted in two magazine articles.” • Beth Zelnick Palubinsky wrote, “In March, Al and I had dinner with Lisa and Brad Fitzgerald in Orlando, a lovely evening with lots of catching up. In January, Al and I had a long weekend rich with Northfield and Mount Hermon friends. We stayed overnight at NMH with Peter Weis ’78 and Lydia Perry Weis ’80, and Kristin Kellom ’80 and Mitch

Tanya Tinkaus Glass ’65 and husband Denny dressed the part for a speakeasy party in Naples, Fla.

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Damon came to Peter and Lydia’s for dinner. Then on to Portland [to see] Bevinn O’Brien, Elinor Livingston Redmond and Elinor’s husband, Dan. Portland in January posed some challenges — ice and snow — but well worth the time I got to spend with those beloved friends. In May, I spent a great afternoon in New York City with Margo Margolis and Judy Preble Miller. Margo took us on a walking tour of SoHo and the Lower East Side art galleries. We walked our feet off, took a break at an outdoor café along the way, and brought each other up to date on life, family, and recollections of NSFG.” • From Henri: George Yu traveled to Berlin, where he gave a lecture on “Hormones in Andropause, Menopause, Cancers, and Medicine.” He is also still involved with the urological surgery department at George Washington Medical School. If you want to catch a glimpse of what he is up to, search for George Yu and “Why Cancer Cells Develop” on YouTube. George also hiked the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage from France to Santiago de Compostela, Spain. He has retired from helicopter skiing and now does Norwegian ski skating. Quite a life. • Steve Putnam is busy as the owner and head coach at Putnam Pitching School, teaching women’s fast-pitch softball. He loves the job. In his spare time, he enjoys racing cars. He graduated from the Skip Barber Advanced Racing School at Sebring International Raceway, and he hopes to be on the New England circuit. • Elliott Haines III will be a speaker at the Star Knowledge Enterprise gathering this month in Estes Park, Colo. • Ellsworth McMeen has compiled his guitar music into 10 books (and finished an 11th, co-written with guitarist and educator Dr. Sandy Shalk). They are available on sheetmusicplus.com under Ellsworth’s name. He covers Mount Hermon in his memoir, titled Growing Up in God’s Country. It was designated a number-one release on Amazon in 2018. • Brian Ackerman moved to Rhode Island to become director of meditation and mindfulness training at a mental health center. He credits Mount Hermon for instilling a love of learning, and while his mind is as sharp as ever, he has finally hung up his soccer cleats. Brian is playing jazz piano these days. He says to come visit. • John Rockwell is still healthy enough to celebrate his 50th college reunion and assumes most of us have done that this year. He is now wondering how strong our interest is for our 55th. • Mark Boeing opines that he is getting older, but, of course, so is everyone else. His dad, John E. Boeing ’39, passed away in January. The minister

presiding over the memorial for Mark’s father is the son of Win Piper ’39, who was on the Mount Hermon track team with John Boeing. Small world. Mark’s son Parker graduated from University of Montana, and his daughter lives in Salt Lake. Mark’s latest passion is the pursuit of tarpon on a fly rod. He proclaims it “stunningly fun!” • Speaking of 50th reunions, Tom Lemire returned to New England for his 50th Brown University reunion. He had fun connecting with his old fraternity brothers and football and lacrosse teammates. Tom is still in Irvine, Calif. • Elias Thomas has been recognized by the NMH trustees for his international service to the people of India. Rotary International has also recognized him for this, as has the National Association of Realtors, which presented him with the Good Neighbor Award. The political world has also jumped in with both the Maine House of Representatives and the Maine Senate recognizing him. Last, but not least, is U.S. Senator Susan Collins. Well done, Elias! Elias bumped into Robert Wood while traveling to Washington, D.C., and they had dinner together. There was some hope that Vandy Van Deusen might drift south from New York, but that didn’t happen. • Henry Davison and Sue Lightner Davison ’66 are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. They’re going to Scotland. • Warren Ayres wrote that he attended his 50th reunion at Harvard. He and Judith Preble Miller both served as class marshals. • David Stone has been busy with his family (six grandchildren, ages 11–17) and volunteer work at his church in Albany. His travel plans included Nashville, Maine, and North Carolina over several months. He has also been shadowing other Mount Hermon class reunions to find out what they are up to, particularly the Mount Hermon class of ’64. He reminds me that our 55th reunion looms in the near future.

Northfield Mount Hermon Jean Penney Borntraeger Wheeler theinn@ferrylanding.com • Frank Sapienza sapienzafc@cdm.com From Jean: Greetings to you, dear classmates, from Basel, where I have spent the past weekend celebrating our twin grandsons’ confirmation. Then we had the lovely coincidence of my hosting daughter Christian’s anniversary and my birthday! • Just prior to that, I enjoyed a long weekend with Betty Hain Andretta. We visited my mother on Long Island (my sister and I concur that Betty is our mother’s favorite daughter) and caught up. We both have sons

on the West Coast and cherish time with grandchildren (Betty’s two and my 18), who live thousands of miles away. • Jim Weiss and Nancy have become second-round grandparents — this time twins — and are spending joyful days helping daughter Chelsea. Jim is transitioning (rewiring!) from his career in investments to writing a blog as his creative outlet, along with his handmade chocolates that many of us on the Reunion Committee have enjoyed. They downsized from their old farm property and are happy they did. • Susie Rheault has written a book, a memoir of her growing up, her five years working with the Clinton Foundation in sub-Saharan Africa, and the subsequent building of a school and home for vulnerable children in Tanzania. Titled My Wild and Precious Life, Susie’s memoir is now available on Amazon. Congratulations, Susie! • Ben Blake and Marggie Slichter Blake ’84 spent the summer sailing around Scandinavia. Other than a brief visit home to join Ben’s father, Pres Blake ’34, for his 85th Mount Hermon reunion, they spent four months abroad visiting Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Norway and living aboard their boat. • Suzie Hill, Jeffy Dunmire, and Chris Anderson had dinner with Allyson Goodwin ’83 and the new head of NMH, Brian Hargrove, in New York in April. They regaled Brian with stories of Dummy, Seating Day, Milk Station, and Recitation Parking Lot — essential stories to understand the spirit of Northfield. Brian was very visible on campus through the spring, commencement, and reunion, absorbing the culture of NMH. • Chris Anderson and her husband, Alan, made a big move in May from the East Coast to Napa Valley, Calif. They have been busy helping with their two grandchildren, Pascal (3) and Gwyneth (born 4/10/19). Chris met with Kate Aldrich for a wine tasting at Laurel Glen Winery and were together on Thursday evenings during the summer for Love Choir. Alan and Chris also met with Liz Schoen Burgess and her husband at the deYoung Museum in San Francisco. Chris hopes that classmates will look her up if they’re in the Bay Area. (I will!) • Elsa Calderon continues to teach Spanish as an adjunct professor and babysits for her granddaughter as often as she can. She had plans to travel to Normandy, France, and Dublin, Ireland, during this past summer. • Lois Lake Church is still in Meriden, Conn., still teaching five to six first-year writing courses per semester at three universities, along with a few courses each summer. Lois loves the interaction with her students. For fun, she sings with her

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husband of 36 years, conducts the youth choir at church, studies Italian, swims, devours books, nurtures her cat and dog, spends time with classmates and other friends, and visits children and grandchildren who are far-flung around the United States. She has visited Italy twice in five years, each time finding she can communicate better, and hopes for continued health and strength to study further. • Day Merrill writes that after seven years in their big old house in Collingwood, Ontario, she and her husband are moving to a bungalow condo, with one-floor living that will allow them to age in place in the town that has become home. They picked a place with easy access to walking and biking trails, a neighborhood feel, and a lower level with plenty of room for family and guests. They’re looking forward to another full year there as Day completes her term as Collingwood’s first poet laureate, sharing her love of poetry (thank you, Mr. Wiegerink!) with the community and encouraging others to write as well as read poetry. After that, they’re looking forward to locking the door before the snow flies and heading somewhere warm for the winter. • Chris Taylor and Ginger Allen Taylor spent another winter in Tucson. Chris’ activities were hampered by four heart procedures, but he still got to play golf. Ginger had two procedures to remove melanoma from her arm. • Your class secretary continues to run a rambling old Maine farmhouse as a B&B in the summer, serve with devotion on the Board of Maine Coast Heritage Trust, and teach skiing to mostly children at Sugarloaf Mountain. Gerald continues to play and teach piano and organ and conduct a choir, and we celebrated his 90th birthday in March, and celebrated again in July with a substantial gathering of family (fresh lobster and homemade ice cream!). We are delighted that we have a particularly delightful granddaughter a half mile up the road on Deer Isle, and grandchildren who come to visit and attend a local day camp in the summer. • Jim Weiss and I met with our energetic reunion committee in September to begin planning our 55th reunion, so if you have ideas, let us know. • From Frank: Craig Shaw wrote, “My wife, Lynn, and I are enjoying retirement in Florida and travel extensively, having just returned from stays in Seattle and in Victoria and Vancouver, British Columbia. We’re planning another trip (our fourth) to England and France. Our latest big news is the marriage of my daughter, Emily, in February. Emily is a detective in our local sheriff’s department and son, John, is a computer geek par

NMH Magazine

Suzie Odell ’66 and Hope Crandall ’66 in Auroville, Tamil Nadu, India, in 2017.

excellence.” • “I am now what my wife calls semi-retired,” said Jim Watson. “I play with several different groups in Chapel Hill, N.C., plus a band called the Piedmont Melody Makers, which includes International Bluegrass Music Association Hall of Fame member Alice Gerrard. I am still playing music; there are some things that if you do them long enough you can’t stop.” • Jim Van Fleet is transitioning out of full-time CEO into a board role, now that he has ceded the company to 50 employees in an ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan). Jim said it’s a “wonderful way to reward a great group of folks who made us the best hot-tub retailer in the world for the industry’s largest manufacturer. Still golfing and competing and hoping to increase frequency with which I shoot my age! Traveling more to destination golf courses around the world with my college sweetheart, Sarah, who has become a fine player, and together we’ve already played in 49 of 50 states (Alaska still beckons). Sailing more, now on an Alerion (classic Herreshoff design) in Maine’s Casco Bay waters. Enjoying grandchildren in Bethel, Vt., and Davis, Calif.” • Peter Swartz has been a clinical psychologist in private practice and at a couple of Cambridge hospitals for a long time, most recently at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear in Boston. Lately, he has been shifting to retirement and raising organic fruit and vegetables on his small home farm. • Ron Cooper lives in Chestnut Hill, having gotten tired of the traffic of downtown Boston after 15 years. Ron wrote, “I’m wintering in Florida in The Villages — happiest place for me — just sports all the time and bridge to slow me down a bit. Summers in Chestnut Hill and spending time at [my] son’s house on Goose Rocks Beach in Kennebunkport, enjoying the beach.” • Sam Boot shared, “I really enjoyed the reunion several years ago. It meant a great deal to me since I live so far away from NMH and had not seen it and classmates for 20 years. The latest news for me is: I am a grandfather of a 10-month-old boy named Avry. He is

incredibly cheerful and lives close by, so I see him several times per month. Otherwise, I exercise five days per week [and] sing as a tenor in a barbershop chorus and quartet. We perform in retirement communities and veterans facilities over 40 times per year. I am on the board for that group. In addition, I am the treasurer of the Stanford Association of Oregon (an alumni group) and am on an alumni advisory board for student activities at Stanford. Also a habitual member of a book club, so I end up reading good fiction and nonfiction constantly. I am in good health for a 71-year-old: no major illnesses, so I consider myself lucky ... Hope to see you and the gang at a future reunion.” • Andrew Tolman does a lot of hiking/walking. He shares, “Our current project is processing a lot of firewood generated by a stand improvement cut on our land. Waiting for the ground to dry out a little so we can get the tractor down there without rutting up the woods. I’m on too many local boards, but enjoy helping out and can’t seem to leave any of them. Doing a bike ride for diabetes soon: Tour de Cure in Kennebunk, and a number of classmates have been generous in their support. Thanks to all. Our next excitement is that we’re finally going to take the Alaska trip I’ve been planning since the early 1980s, after I went to a conference in Anchorage.” • Peter Fulton’s play, The Trial of Mr. Stone, is finally published. Peter plans to go up to NMH to participate in the reinstallation of Mac Coleman’s sculpture, “Western Totem #1.” It would be really amazing if those who remember Mac could stop by for the reinstallation! • As of this writing, Steve Ollove is just getting back from Tucson, where he undoubtedly has played lots of golf with Chris Taylor. I won’t ask who has been winning. • The New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players is still Albert Bergeret’s all-consuming occupation, with planning for their 45th anniversary season in New York City and touring throughout the United States. “My wife and I have always considered the G&S Company our eldest child,” wrote Albert, “succeeded by daughter Genevieve ’00 and son Charles ’04. One grandson (from Chaz, as he now calls himself ) rounds out the family picture, but the company still needs the most nurturing. Regrettably, I couldn’t make it to Sacred Concert this year due to a performance of The Mikado and the aftermath of a truck accident just two weeks prior in Idaho during our return from a tour of the Northwest. Fortunately, there were no physical injuries, but lots of stress and the challenge of reconstructing the set and props, which had been reduced to splinters,

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in a short time span.” • “I have officially retired from UCLA,” reported Viktor Decyk, “although I continue to work part time on computational plasma physics. My wife, Betsy, also retired from California State University-Long Beach, where she taught philosophy and psychology as well as served as the campus ombudsperson. Besides downsizing our lives, we have traveled to interesting places around the world, most recently to American Samoa and Greenland. Next trip is to Scandinavia to learn about the Sami people, Betsy’s ancestors. Our daughter, Marika Holte, has finished her residency in internal medicine and is a practicing physician in La Jolla. Her husband, Jamie, is an oceanographer at Scripps Institute and currently studies glacial melting in Greenland. Two grandchildren also keep us occupied.” • Yusuf DeLorenzo shared news of his new career. “First, I’m writing book nine in a series of historical novels set in Ottoman Algiers. Second, I’m hopeful my capable literary agent will begin negotiations this fall with a major publishing house. Third, I’m speaking at the annual meeting (in Washington, D.C.) of the Historical Novel Society. Here’s the link for anyone who’s interested: hnsconference.com/general-sessions.” • Kim Daniels and wife Jackie enjoy lots of travel. “We’re off shortly on a five-masted Clipper sailing in the Mediterranean. Last year we were in the Caribbean in January; skiing in France with our daughter and family in February; then in Switzerland, Germany, and Italy during the summer; followed by an autumn break in Poland. Son Ian had a short service commission in the Army before becoming an estate agent. Our eldest daughter, Jo, took up the post as head of mathematics at a grammar school. Alison is teaching languages at a private school in London. We have six grandsons and one granddaughter who are a constant source of delight to us. We help out with babysitting as required, and they all come to stay with us in Wiltshire throughout the year. I am vice-chairman of the local branch of the RAF Association and a member of the Royal British Legion. I am also a lead volunteer lockkeeper on the Kennet and Avon Canal, which involves helping boaters up and down a flight of 16 locks. I continue to support Bromsgrove School and Caius College, Cambridge [University]. We continue to have happy memories of our trip to Mount Hermon in 2016 for the 50th reunion, especially the early-morning row on the Connecticut River!” Kim skied competitively in the RAF, doing slalom, giant slalom, and

downhill.” (Including the downhill courses at Ischgl and Val d’Isère, Kim and I shared some great stories about ski racing, which we both were crazy enough to do. — Frank) • Derrick Mason wrote, “Divorced (third) and retired from the sign business circa 2013, I stay happy and busy in western Massachusetts with brother Bruce ’69 managing our family farm and land trust in the beautiful Berkshires; serving on various town committees and local and regional community services; assisting my ‘significant other,’ Meg Crawford (Smith ’69), with her small farm in upstate New York; and most recently exploring places in Mexico, Morocco, and Portugal, plus traveling around the United States and Canada.” • Daniel Thompson has had a remarkable journey. He wrote, “My wife, Jennifer, and I will celebrate 30 years of marriage in a few weeks. Our greatest joy has been our two kids, and now our four grandkids (ages 8 months through 10 years). I’ve been retired since 2002, but have remained active with a number of things: I serve on the board of a three-hospital chain here in Atlanta and chair the board of a national company that has 46 schools that give juvenile delinquents a second chance. Our schools stretch from Virginia to New Mexico, including a program on America’s largest Indian reservation. We’ve helped about 2,500 kids per year, nationwide. Many go on to trade schools, colleges, or jobs using skills and ‘life lessons’ they learn from our staffs. Some have become quite successful, including two NFL football players. Since 2008, I have served on the board of the Georgia Humanities Council. Presently, I’m an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association. My wife, Jennifer, still works in the entertainment industry. She was associate producer in 2015 of a 90-minute live NBC-TV special called The Wiz. She and a family friend have done five Broadway plays, one of which won a Tony Award. Visiting NMH in recent years, I’ve been glad to see the increase in the number of black students. There were only six of us in the class of ’66. Coming from Tuskegee, Ala., as I did, Mount Hermon was a very different world. My first week there was the first time I ever had a conversation with a white person. Schools at home were segregated and my ninth-grade civics book had the ‘Great Seal of Alabama’ on it, which said, ‘White Supremacy for the Right.’ So, Mount Hermon was a breath of fresh air.” • Some very sad news: We lost Peter Talmage this past year (2/8/19). Peter was a terrific guy with a great spirit and was full of enthusiasm and creativity. He will be missed.

Northfield Mount Hermon Donna Eaton-Mahoney dmeato@outlook.com • Dana L. Gordon mounthermon1967@comcast.net By the time this magazine issue reaches your mailbox, we will be about halfway between our unforgettable 50th reunion and our 55th. To fill the void, several groups got together to celebrate our collective 70th birthdays. The largest gathering took place in June in Cape May, N. J. Wendy Alderman Cohen, Donna Eaton Mahoney, Donna’s sister Wendy ’72, Marty Ratcliff Rix, Robin Whyte Reisman, Jean Walker, Mollie Lininger Alkan, Mary Briggs, Becky Parfitt Kennedy and Vin Kennedy, Chris Warden Malley and husband Ed, Sheila Morse and husband Dick, Helen Drew Stowe and husband Larry, Sylvia Kuhner Baer and husband John, Mark Eluto, Jay Garbose, and Dana Gordon spent a long weekend reminiscing, sightseeing, bird-watching, eating and drinking, enjoying live music, and even seeing the famous “Poet Tree” in the front yard of Sylvia and John’s charming cottage. • At our class 70th birthday celebration in Cape May, Sylvia presented a denim jean skirt with a mission: to have the skirt visit each Northfield ’67 member within the next year. Each classmate will take a photo with the skirt, submit it to Sylvia, and send it on to the next classmate. Mary Briggs had the honor of being the first to submit a photo with the skirt. The project even has its own Facebook page! Search “Sisterhood of the Traveling JeanSkirt” and join the group. Although the skirt is being passed among the Northfielders, both men and women are encouraged to join the group. • Meanwhile, Kathy Cole Gibbons and husband Grant hosted Kori Hedman Calvert, Trish Watson Bartlett, Cindy French Pasackow, Linda Hoff Irvin, and Ritchie Davis Dow at their home in Hamilton Parish, Bermuda, for four days that included historic and botanical walks, boat rides, and lots of time to talk, relax, and reminisce. They hope Claudia Stanley Moose and Carol Coleman can join them next time. • And at the same time as these other two mini reunions, Eliza Childs celebrated her birthday in Boston with Helen Fowler present, providing a Northfield connection. Of course, Will Melton was there as well. • Helen reported the official adoption of her 2-year-old grandson by daughter Sarah, who had fostered him since he was 9 days old. Helen looks forward to many visits to and from them, as well as with son Chris and grandchildren, 9-year-old Josh and 5-yearold Hannah. Helen’s lifelong dream of traveling around the world continues to be ful-

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filled. In February, she traveled to Kenya and Tanzania, taking daily forays in safari vans. She was delighted to spend several days with Trish Bartlett and her husband, John, who showed her a very different side of Tanzania. Before visiting Africa, Helen took another “bucket list” trip to Peru, Ecuador, and the Galápagos, and, more recently, she went to Bulgaria. As if that globetrotting were not enough, Helen became a snowbird with the purchase of a condo in North Naples, Fla. • Wendy Alderman Cohen went from our class group’s 70th birthday celebration in Cape May right to the NMH campus, where she once again attended reunion as a volunteer. She described it as the most beautiful summer weekend she had ever spent on campus, with deep blue skies providing a background to all that beautiful space. But … she declared our 50th reunion was still the best party ever on campus! It was a busy three weeks for Wendy, beginning with the graduation of daughter Laura from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government with a master’s in public administration. Wendy’s son, Peter, his wife, Lisa, and Wendy’s 2-year-old granddaughter were there to cheer Laura on. Laura’s husband, Jose, became an American citizen during the same week, with his family flying in from Bogotá, Colombia, and California to witness the occasion. • Debby Bates is grateful to be living back home in Portland, Maine, for the past two years. She feels the absolute call of the wind, woods, ocean, and granite rocks that are in her bones. She is blessed to be close to and catch up with sons Owen and Keith, who each visited. She is still doing her clairvoyant readings and healings, and is thrilled to love the work she does. Debby had her own mini reunion with roommate Jennifer Meehl and her husband, Toby, when she visited them in Vermont in February. • Stephen Billias lives in Deerfield, not far from NMH, with his wife, Bela Breslau. Their daughter, Sophia, finished her first year of law school at Case Western and headed off to Geneva, Switzerland, for a summer internship at the World Intellectual Property Organization. Steve works part time and is always writing, mostly fiction. Odeon Press published his latest book, A Book of Fields: Tales From the Pioneer Valley, available on Amazon. To celebrate, they held a book-launch party at the Engaged Mindfulness Institute in Deerfield, with music by the Green Sisters. • Ellen Cooper Gill no longer has to deal with her lengthy commute through Connecticut. In June, she retired from the Capitol Region Education Council, where she worked with families who have children with hearing

NMH Magazine

loss. So far, she has no specific retirement plans other than to enjoy it. • Rick Buzan sends greetings from Indiana. Although he learned a lot and grew a lot at Hermon during sophomore and junior years after his father died from his third heart attack, Rick decided to forgo his senior year when farming became his passion. Attending an eastern prep school was not necessary to gain admission to Purdue University. He met his wife there and raised a son and a daughter, who have blessed them with three grandchildren. He eventually left farming to join Edward Jones Investments for an exciting and rewarding 30-year career. Rick’s wife became Indiana’s Principal of the Year. Rick said, “With gratitude for my Hermon experience, I have been a modest financial supporter almost every year since graduating from college.” • Judith Hull is excited that her 23-year-old has gotten her first adult job (at Dana-Farber in Boston), and that she herself has returned to the workforce. She has a part-time job as the master gardener liaison in Grafton County, N.H., and will be teaching a course on Renaissance art at Plymouth State. • Tony Peters and wife Suzanne experienced the adventure of a lifetime when they went to Australia for the Dave Koz Jazz Cruise. In addition to seven days of non-stop jazz music by some of the top performers in the world, they visited five ports of call, including Tasmania. They scaled the Sydney Harbour Bridge, with its bird’s-eye view of the iconic Sydney Opera House; took a swim with the sharks and stingrays to “jazz” things up a bit; and ventured into central Australia to see Ayers Rock. • Stay up to date on all the mini reunions, celebrations, and other happenings by visiting our class Facebook page, which has grown to nearly 150 members. Non-Facebook members can also stay connected by visiting www.nmh1967. com. And if you do not already receive occasional class-specific emails, send a message to mounthermon1967@comcast.net and get added to the mailing list.

From left: Ritchie Davis Dow ’67, Kathryn Cole Gibbons ’67, Linda Hoff Irvin ’67, Patricia Watson Bartlett ’67, Kori Hedman Calvert ’67, and Cynthia French Pasackow ’67 held a mini reunion in Bermuda in June 2019.

Northfield Mount Hermon Mark G. Auerbach mgauerbach@gmail.com • Rebecca Bright Freeland rbfreela@gmail.com From Becky: I am sitting here on a wet and blustery day, looking out the window at wind-driven waves crashing on the shore of Lake Ontario in my new home. I’m sure many of you have heard about the issues of extremely high water levels on the Great Lakes and Saint Lawrence River, due to the enormous amount of snow melt from last winter. In any event, after 35 years of marriage and the untenable prospect of maintaining a very large 140-year-old house, I have moved back to my roots outside of Watertown, N.Y., and am in the throes of downsizing. • Speaking of moving, Pam Beam wrote, “I am moving from my house in sweet New England to an apartment outside Baltimore, Md., 20 minutes from my daughter and two grandchildren, Nell (4) and Max (2). It will be a big change, but a great one. I will miss being a relatively short drive from campus and all else New England, which is forever in my blood, and hope to make a couple of visits to Maine every year. I will continue to faithfully save our reunion posters and some of our other festive decorations so we will have them four years from now!” • Class of ’68 was well represented at the 2019 Sacred Concert, with Ted Finlayson-Schueler and his wife, Jeanne, and Nancy Stevens and her husband, David Williams, singing. Bill Newman and his wife, Karen, were in attendance. • Mark G. Auerbach promised himself a brief hiatus from NMH after reunion, although he is still administering the NMH68 Alumni Facebook page. He spent last fall and early winter working on radio projects for ArtsBeat radio on 89.5 FM/WSKB, writing the ArtsBeat column for the Westfield News Group, and doing a series of articles for the business blog, “Succeeding in Small Business.” In early April, Mark fell down a flight of stairs at his condo, breaking his left arm and right leg. After major surgery and some complications, he entered rehab, and expected to be back to his routine in August. He did the press for The Capitol Steps while he was in recovery. Before his fall, he had brunch with Peter Weis ’78 and Lydia Perry Weis ’80. Ruth Stevens and her partner, Len, stopped by to visit Mark in rehab. • Richard Staples sent this message: “I’ve been volunteering as an adaptive ski instructor at AbilityPLUS at Attitash Ski Area since 1999, 20 years of ‘skiing for joy’ with hundreds of students, their families, and fellow volunteers, includ-

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ing my children, Kate and Evan. But several recent happy changes in Betsy’s and my retired life have led to my decision to retire from my annual winter-long volunteer commitment to the program at the end of this ski season.” • Cary Unkelbach and husband Dave took a fabulous land-based trip to the Galápagos Islands in May. They stayed on four islands and enjoyed biking, snorkeling, kayaking, and some hiking. A fantastic trip for wildlife lovers — lots of birds, including penguins, pelicans, frigates, and blue-footed boobies — and sea lions plus giant tortoises and all sizes of iguanas. Read about their adventures in a blog post on Cary’s website, caryunkelbach.com. • Freddy Bussinger shared, “Last year we were celebrating our 50th, remember? Being back to campus, meeting the classmates, remembering old good times … Good memories! Thanks so much for your attention and help. Hope we can be together again for the 55th. The invitation to come down to Brazil is still up!” • Ted Finlayson-Schueler and Becky Bright Freeland had the chance to catch up in May over a few local craft beers in Syracuse, N.Y. They may have solved all of the world’s problems as well! • If you are not yet a member of the NMH68 Alumni Facebook group, please let us know. There’s lots more news there, and you don’t have to wait six months to see what’s happening. Also, if you’re not receiving emails from us, please send your address to rbfreela@gmail.com and I’ll add you to our list.

Northfield Sue Pineo Stowbridge sue.stowbridge@gmail.com Mary Averill is happy to be coming back to New England. The Hershey, Penn., house is sold, and she and her partner have bought one in North Amherst, Mass. She said, “I can’t wait to be back in the Valley!” • The sixth edition of Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook came out in July. “I never would have dreamed of writing a best-selling book,” wrote Nancy, “but I guess my English teachers at Northfield did a good job teaching me how to write!” She said that there is constant change in the food and nutrition field. Now that the book is done, Nancy looks forward to more time for sports and gardening. • Marti Hall Malabad and husband Ellis celebrated their 48th wedding anniversary in July. They spent six weeks touring New Zealand, visiting several cities and many national parks, and going on amazing hikes. They enjoy cruising on their sailboat in the Chesapeake Bay. Biking, kayaking, and volunteer work fill their time at home. The

grandkids are 13 and 11, and Marti and Ellis love downhill skiing, caving, and camping with their son and his wife. Marti was sorry to miss the reunion. • Becky Shafer Tuuk’s daughter, Jennifer, earned her master’s in sustainable development and global practice at the University of Denver. The family plans to celebrate with a trip to Peru and Ecuador, including a visit to Machu Picchu, which has been on Becky’s “bucket list” ever since Miss Gilbert’s class at Northfield. • Moving on to our big reunion: Attendance was a bit of a moving target, but Mary, Nancy, and Becky were there, and Katie Marshall Greenman and Donna Thurston Downing both had to cancel. Because many did not sign in at the dorm, and a revised registration list is not available, this is my best guess as to who was there: Christy Adams, Nancy Torrence Atkins, Mary Averill, Viola Osborne Baskerville, Dottie Bauer, Madeline Baum, Mardi Deevey Bodach, Kerry Brougham, Kristina Niedziela Cafarelli, Liz Alden Clymer, Lucy Comes, Brenda Bridges Cook, Wendy Rosan Costa, Lucinda Sears Croce, Anne Dain-Goeschl, Dee Wimer Erickson, Chris Fleuriel, Cathy Handzo Gray, Debby Herrick Hare, Faith Goodwin Hodgkins, Katie Holland Lynch, Susan Hanna Huleatt, Ann Jones, Elizabeth Kellogg, Emelda Peters Kennerly, Sheryl Powers Kropp, Katy Lane Margo, Lucy Bird Masters, Lisa Mathews-Bingham, Karen Hoff McMahon, Holley Creed Meyer, Holly Neumann, Sarah Ward Neusius, Elizabeth Dross Oestreicher, Ann Paris, MJ Tippett Peck, Jeri Norris Rhodes, Uma Anand Segal, Sue Shepard, Libby Leonard Siegmund, Sue Pineo Stowbridge, Alison Walton Tichenor, Bev Knoll Tosi, Becky Shafer Tuuk, Virginia Tyson, Gretchen Vandewater, Carol “Cricket” Ward, Polly Willard Marvin, Mary Woodman, and Mary Moebus Yedlin. The total class attendance was about 130, an impressive turnout. • As the 50th reunion class, we spent five years planning under the capable leadership of Karen Hoff McMahon and Brian Bauer. Reunion began with several featured speakers from our class. James Engell and John M. Fitzgerald presented “Climate Change Changes the Climate of Everything.” Uma Anand presented “Immigration in America in 2019” to a standing-room-only crowd. Brian Bauer and the Alumni Council’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee presented “Our Voices: LGBTQ Panel.” Jose Aguayo led “Our Stories: Alumni of Color Panel.” • Our service of remembrance at Round Top and the Sunday service were led by Dee Wimer Erickson. Included in the memorial service was a reflection on the Moody Center by Julia Wiggin ‘81, who spoke of the people traveling to the center from around

the world. [Note that Thomas Aquinas College owns the majority of the campus.] As we stood at the height of land overlooking the valley on a picture-perfect day, we remembered 47 classmates. Those lost from Northfield were: Penny McHutchison Bowes, Cherill Mogensen Bretschger, Anne Brown, Laura Chang, Mary Jane Baillie Collins, Alyce Davis, Dot Harris, Robin Hulton, Barbara Jones, Judy E. Miller, Suzanne Mitchell, Elizabeth Provost, Leslie Robinson Sharp, Ann Tanner, and Ann Wheeler. May they rest in peace. • More information and reunion photos can be found at nmhschool.org. We also have a Facebook page (Northfield Mount Hermon Class of 1969 Alumni NMH69) and George Chaltas has developed our new website, nmh1969.com (password hint: schools’ founder’s first name, all lowercase letters). Reunion reflections are growing by the day. Each of us made reunion our own. Some stayed at our dorm, Crossley, while others found places to stay off-campus. Most meals were in West Hall (now Alumni Hall), but we also enjoyed an NMH farm-to-table dinner Friday night and then dined in the tent next to Ford Cottage (headmaster’s home) on Saturday night. There were classes offered by current faculty, tours of NMH Farm, and introductory campus tours for those who remember buses and Recitation Hall, but not much more. Athletes could join the Mec Peller Memorial 5K or the NMH bicycle Pie Ride, or celebrate the dedication of the new boathouse. • For entertainment, Tom Jones was at the piano, and Saturday night opened with Carousel, reprised by as many original cast members as were present. Then came skits around Katie Holland Lynch dramatically reading from the Blue Book. Models wearing dummy smocks were Madeline Baum and Sue Pineo Stowbridge. Next up was Sue wearing MJ Tippett Peck’s white dress, and Walter Lowe in Steve Shapiro’s Mount Hermon varsity jacket. It was a hoot! Those still in good voice enjoyed a Hymn Sing on Friday night, and then joined the Alumni Choir at the Sunday-morning service. While most of these activities were optional, Convocation on Saturday afternoon involved everyone. The class of ’69 congratulates Alice “Dee” Wimer Erickson and Roland Leong, who received Alumni Citations for exceptional volunteer service and support; George Chaltas, recipient of the Josie Rigby Spirit Award for his ideas, energy, and driving force in our reunion; and geologist Brian Atwater, who received the Distinguished Service Award for an outstanding career in service to humanity. • My husband, Marc, and I headed out to spend a week on the

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coast of Maine with MJ Tippett Peck and her husband, Rob. As I read through my notes about reunion, I realize that with every campus gathering we become less “N & MH” and more “NMH.” We’ve learned to blend our religions, heritages, and philosophies, and this creation of our very own NMH is really good. Bricks and mortar are important, but our friendships are simply far out.

Mount Hermon Roland Leong dmdmba2k@icloud.com The NMH ’69 reunion, our first fully, jointly planned and executed reunion by both Northfield ’69 and Mount Hermon ’69, was a great time, and everyone enjoyed it. I cannot attempt to name all who attended, but ours was one of the largest 50th reunion classes in NMH history. The unofficial headcount was 120; 170 when spouses and significant others were counted. What was notable was that people we had not seen nor heard from in a long time came back, and we were very happy to see them. Forgive me if I’ve left your name out: Steven Horowitz, Kirk Johnson, Al Dyson, Bill Gibbs, Bruce Mason, George Dreher, Rich Fontaine, Grady Houseknecht, Stu Longman, Larry Nice, Bill Porter, George Fisher, Chris Young, and Tom King come to mind. Howard Hope came from the U.K. and had a “wonderful” time. Thanks to Kirk Johnson for bringing his gift artisan candles and music CD for the attendees. Steven Harris also gifted music from Leslie Robinson, and Tom Jones offered his music CD with the proceeds going to NMH. Thanks to all who contributed items to the silent auction, with the proceeds also going to NMH. • The Decorations Committee, headed by George Chaltas and Madeline Baum, showed their talent and expertise with the NMH ’69 banners that draped Crossley; the class wore NMH ’69 buttons the whole weekend. Crossley’s lounge had lanterns memorializing our lost classmates, and string lights with our graduation pictures. • The Yearbook Committee of Don Hodgkins and Faith Goodwin Hodgkins shepherded our individual histories into a wonderful reunion yearbook. • The finance chairs, Carol Ward and Walter Lowe, did a great job of raising $3.1 million. • The Entertainment Committee, headed by Tom Jones, gathered together a group of talented and enthusiastic classmates who put on a great show for two nights. George Chaltas did a riotously funny photo mashup of some Mount Hermon dudes, and a very complimentary one of Northfield women. Michael Grigsby, Steven Harris, Reed Butler, Edgar

NMH Magazine

Northfield Katherine Truax katetruax@aol.com In June, Neil Kiely and Laurie Reich Kiely and I visited the NMH campus to observe the class of 1969 reunion. It was an awesome weekend, with lots of sunshine, blue skies, and an abundance of food (Bishop’s Bread included)! The class of 1969 should be commended for their decorations, collection of memorabilia, and record turnout! It was also fun to see Ann Wiley and Holly Babbitt, who were guests. Both women looked beautiful and happy! Make sure you save the date for our 50th reunion … it’s not that far away! • Your class of 1970 Reunion Planning Committee is already hard at work, locating classmates and planning events. We hope you will plan on attending our 50th reunion. It will not disappoint. • Reunion 2020 is Friday, June 5, through Sunday, June 7. Separate from the school’s programming, we may add a day, Thursday, June 4, for additional events like golf and just hanging out with friends. Dorms will not open until Friday morning, and on-campus housing is not offered Thursday night. • Renew connections with people you have not seen in years! We are currently compiling email and snail mail addresses for as many classmates as possible. This may be one of the last times we have to renew those connections that meant so much to us. We guarantee there

will be someone at reunion looking for you. If you are looking for someone, or you can help us find a missing classmate, contact Tess Pemantal Dunhoff or Bruce Berk. If you have moved or changed your phone number or email address in the past four years, email Tess right away to update your information. • You will not have had this much fun since Animal Hour at Recitation Hall. We have an array of events planned. • Gene Ward is building our class website now and he needs all the content he can get, especially photographs. He will be sending out a series of requests over the next few months from a dedicated email account, nmhclassof1970@gmail.com, which has been established for the website project. So, it’s not a spam address! Also, remember our Facebook page? It is going strong with 135 classmates posting updates there. Take a look. Claire Schmidt Jones can help you join in and connect. • The Oral History Project: We hope to post three-minute videos of classmates reminiscing about our time and times. Videos will be uploaded to the class website currently under construction. Want to help? Contact Gene Ward. • Pop-up gatherings of classmates have been going strong since our 45th. Look for one near you, or better, host one. Hosting is pretty much just making a restaurant reservation or opening your home; no complicated logistics involved. Ask Tess for help in finding the classmates near you. • Self-guided tour of the former Northfield campus: See the campus of Thomas Aquinas College and the Moody Center. • Dorm decorating: We want to make Crossley Center lounge, our class lounge, look like it belongs to us. Bring your stuff. Contact Neil Kiely or Claire Schmidt Jones if you can help. • Art exhibit: Who knew we had so many talented artists in our class? Linda Kellogg Glover is curating an exhibit of our art. Submit your masterpiece for display. Contact Linda if you want to exhibit your work. • Golf tournament: Men and women will make the rounds and walk in the footsteps of one of the golf course’s most famous denizens, Al Raymond, who was

From left: Ann Dain-Goeschl ’69, Kerry Brougham ’69, and Polly Willard Marvin ’69

From left: Karen Hoff McMahon ’69, Vi Osborne Baskerville ’69, and Alice “Dee” Wimer Erickson ’69

Issacs, and Howard Hope all jammed. Thanks to all who participated in the Carousel mini revival, Al Gilbert and Katie Holland for being funny, and all who entertained and made the reunion so memorable. • The memorial services led by Alice Wimer Erikson at Northfield’s Round Top on Saturday, and Sunday morning in Memorial Chapel, were poignant. • Alice and I each got Alumni Citations, and George Chaltas received the Josie Rigby Spirit Award. • And to my brother classmates who show up at every event, who participate, who put their shoulders to the wheel: Goodness, it was wonderful seeing you again and always. Warmest regards, Roland.

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an inveterate player. Neil will organize the play. • Hymn Sing: We love those hymns. We will sing them as we did, with organ accompaniment and enthusiasm. Enid Sodergren Oberholtzer is planning the music. Send her your special requests. • Memorial Service: Honoring those who are gone. We remember. • Gathering at Linda Kellogg Glover and Bob Glover’s place: At our 45th reunion, the NMH couple hosted the best party ever. They have agreed to do it again. Come and enjoy the warmth of their hospitality and the pleasure of free, unprogrammed time with your friends. • Coffee House: We have to do something to celebrate our ’60s vibe. The coffee will be better. Performers are being invited and organized. Interested in playing? Contact Neil Kiely or Enid Sodergren Oberholtzer. • Dance: Yes, even those of you who think you have forgotten how to do the Jerk and the Shing-a-ling will find your groove again. Be careful not to throw your back out. • Class gift progress and goal: Let’s talk about money. Yes, we are going to ask you to participate in the class gift. All gifts made between our 45th and 50th count. Class gifts include annual giving, capital gifts, bequests, and planned gifts, and typically total about $3 million. That funding supports the operations of the school, financial aid, and faculty salaries. Alex Lotocki, Steve Johnson, and Carol Ramsey will be reaching out and asking all members of the class to participate in this very important part of our school’s life and legacy. • Coed Dorm Party: Yes, even that looks like fun from the distance of 50 years. • Now, with all that said, let us know you are coming. Send questions and suggestions to Kate Truax. She’ll make certain they get to the appropriate Reunion Committee member. • Your Reunion Planning Committee members are: Sylvia Marshall Bailey, Bruce Berk, Tess Pemantel Dunhoff, Jerry Fraser, Linda Kellogg Glover, Linda Jameson, Steve Johnson, Claire Schmidt Jones, Linda Keniston, Neil Kiely, Alex Lotocki, Enid Sodergren Oberholtzer, Carol Ramsey, Martha Seely, Jim Singiser, Kate Truax, and Gene Ward. • Anne Shyavitz Foran wrote that “after attending far-flung family events last year, including a bar mitzvah in Vermont in the spring and a wedding in Omaha, Neb., at the end of October, I am excited about my son Patrick’s upcoming wedding this October, to be held in our hometown of San Jose, Calif. My daughter, Peggy, and her husband, Mark, are now parents to two tiny people: Rebecca (4) and Elliot (18 months).” Anne lives a short flight from Los Angeles, so she visits them often. Since retiring over four years ago, Anne has enjoyed exploring locally in California

and in Italy, Mexico, and Canada. She plans to attend our 50th reunion and “hopes to see lots of classmates there.” • Andrea Margolis Selzer and her husband have moved to the “Left Coast” after 40 years of living outside Washington, D.C. She refers to herself as literally being the “little old lady from Pasadena!” Both their daughters live in Los Angeles, and Andrea welcomed her second grandson, Meyer. She shared, “Both Arlo and Meyer keep us busy on weekends, but during the week we are exploring SoCal’s golf courses. Ready for our next Left Coast mini reunion.” • Kimberly Chase-Adler and husband Thomas enjoyed trips to Palm Springs, Calif., London, Switzerland, and France earlier this year. They usually spend six months at Goose Rocks Beach, Maine, and in Norwich, Vt., during the colder months. Favorite times are when their three daughters and families visit. • Sadly, there are two Northfield classmates whom we learned have passed away: Karen Kreuzer Kotzmann in Seminole, Fla., on 9/27/17, and Kathy Liu on 2/18/18 from complications of Lewy body dementia. Mary DeKruif ’69 sent this note: “I came across the information quite by chance and was shocked and saddened by the news. [Karen] was my ‘junior’ at Northfield and we were close friends then and kept in contact through college but eventually lost touch with each other. She was married and had two daughters.”

Mount Hermon Neil Kiely neil@marketinginmotion.com By the time you see this, it will be almost December and about six months from our long-awaited and much-discussed 50th reunion! • I was thrilled to hear from Dave Hawley ’71 last December as I was scrambling to meet a deadline already passed. In part, he said, “Both of my girls are here with our four grandchildren, so lots of babysitting. My wife is in heaven.” In hindsight, he of course meant that his wife was in heaven because she had four grandchildren living close by. I took a more literal interpretation and wrote in NMH Magazine’s spring column, “Dave Hawley is retired and a widower living in Knoxville.” When the magazine landed last spring, I immediately heard from Dave, who said, “Neil, thanks for the mention in the class notes; however, I am still happily married (40 years) to my still-alive wife, Denise. Got lots of calls with condolences. Not sure how I became a widower in the notes.” Well, now you all know how and why it happened. I apologize, although with the passing of time, many classmates thought it was a bit humorous

and many would have interpreted the news like I did. Thankfully, Dave has a sense of humor … I think! • Although I haven’t set eyes on him in 49 years, I am friends with Mike Pontius on Facebook and enjoyed living vicariously as he traveled all around Mexico for an extended period earlier this year. Mike shared, “Lydia and I are in the process of selling our house in Mount Pleasant, S.C., and moving to Puerto Aventuras, Quintana Roo, Mexico. It’s a gated town on the Caribbean coast about 100 miles south of Cancún. We drove all through Mexico this winter before spending six weeks in Pennsylvania. Fell in love [with Mexico] and decided to pull the retirement trigger. Once the dust settles, we will be permanent residents of Mexico. We’ve been visiting that general area of Mexico for 20 years and have a lot of friends down there but, until now, I hadn’t found a place where I wanted to live.” • I am aware that Hap Schadler has been in the oil and gas business for over 40 years (and will retire at the end of 2020). What I didn’t know about was his interesting hobby: “Just got back from Steamboat Springs, where my wife, Sara, and I help to put on the Rocky Mountain Mustang Roundup each year,” wrote Hap. “That’s cars not horses. We have done the horses before … I do event safety at the autocross and [Sara] does timing, scoring, and sometimes grid scanning. Fun working vacation, and we both won our car classes at the autocross.” They own (and have owned) many Mustangs, which at the moment include a ’65 that has been in the family since it was new! “Starting to feel my age,” Hap added. “No disk material remaining around L3 and L4 in my back, so three days in a row on my feet on the

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asphalt really got things hurting.” • Rajan Batra’s youngest son, Russell, who lives in Chicago, is engaged and will marry next spring. He really did it right: down on one knee on the shore of Lake Michigan with the Hancock Center as a backdrop. • Jim Eckert is excited for our 50th reunion, especially at the prospect of seeing some classmates for the first time in 50 years! He and his wife spent three weeks in Australia in April, visiting their daughter, Libby, in Sydney on her semester abroad. Jim said they “traveled all around that wonderful land and had the time of our lives.” • Paul Foster-Moore majored in psychology and philosophy at Earlham College, where he met his wife, Laurel. They married in 1976 and moved to Cleveland, where he earned an M.S.W. at Case Western. Two years later, they then moved to Northampton, Mass., where Paul worked for six years as a therapist for emotional dysregulated children in residential treatment. He then joined the behavioral health department in a large medical practice in western Mass., and has had a private psychotherapy practice for 35 years. Laurel retired from the International Programs Office at UMass Amherst after 34 years of promoting and managing studyabroad experiences in China, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, and Thailand. They have two sons. As a “’46er” and a “4,000-footer” (Gene Ward can relate), Paul has climbed for 36 years in the Adirondacks and the White Mountains of New Hampshire; scaled Mounts Rainier, Whitney, and Denali; and sea-kayaked in Maine, Alaska, and Nova Scotia. He has trained for 25 years in Kodokan judo (thirddegree black belt), and enjoys cross-country skiing. Paul and Laurel are active in the

local Unitarian Society and various local nonprofit organizations. They have also both survived life-threatening medical crises. • Steve Johnson still works in philanthropy, does a bit of consulting, and serves on six foundation/nonprofit boards. “You may be hearing from me in the next few months. I’m hoping you’ll support the schools that did so much for us as we celebrate our 50th!” wrote Steve. • Speaking of our 50th, by the time you read this, it will be just a few short months away. My wife, Laurie Reich Kiely ’70, along with Kate Truax and her husband, Dave, spent time on campus in June shadowing the class of ’69 as they celebrated their 50th. We got lots of ideas, checked out venues and locations for events, and are more convinced than ever that this is sure to be a “don’t miss” event. • Hopefully, by now you have been contacted by a classmate who has “tracked you down”; we have a committee whose sole purpose is to locate those classmates who have been M.I.A. for many years. Sometimes they hear stories about bad experiences, or the fact that they really didn’t want to be away at school, or that they don’t think anyone cares about whether or not they come to reunion. I am here to tell you that not only are you cared about, but we want to see you in June! Not to be morbid, but there aren’t going to be many more opportunities to get this many Mount Hermon class of 1970 classmates together in one place. • Check us out on Facebook: Northfield Mount Hermon (NMH) Class of 1970 or visit our 50th reunion website: nmh1970.com. If you have any questions about anything to do with reunion (we even have financial aid available), please email me or phone at 401-523-7051.

Eugene “Geno” Ward ’70 tackled the summit of Mount Elbert — the highest peak in Colorado.

NMH Magazine

Northfield Cathy Shufro cathy.shufro@yale.edu Hello, classmates. Thanks to all who have helped to revive these notes. • Marilynn Acker Ezell and her husband have moved north … by six miles. They still live in Temple, N.H., but have left the house they designed in 1983. Marilynn continues to work full time. Her husband, meanwhile, has retired to focus on the house, “to concentrate on some of the work we have to do to make it our own, so ‘busy’ doesn’t begin to describe it,” said Marilynn. They have a baby grandson living in California and go there for most vacations. By the time this note is published, Marilynn will have joined her chorus’ tour of the Canadian Maritimes to perform Dan Forrest’s Requiem for the Living. “That’s a departure from visiting family, but only

because the baby and his parents are coming to see us.” • As owner of three properties in three states, Jane Linker “keeps on the road and on my knees weeding!” Her main home is in Greenville, S.C., with a summer house in the Berkshires (a colonial from 1764 that she and her husband restored during the past five years), and a third property that she calls “my happy place: a town home at Sunset Beach, S.C., where we truly ‘R and R.’ ” Grandchildren keep them engaged, and the Linkers travel. Jane and her husband joined 16,000 others in May at the annual Berkshire Hathaway shareholders’ meeting in Omaha. During a panel with CEO Warren Buffett and Vice-Chairman Charlie Munger, a 9-year-old asked about delayed gratification. Buffett quipped that he spent about a penny from every dollar, but then conceded that people should spend a little to enjoy life. • New Hampshire state representative candidate Claudia Istel lost her race by 6 percentage points in November 2018, but she has remained active on two issues: reestablishing and raising the minimum wage in N.H., and repealing the death penalty. The latter aim was accomplished in late May after both the State House and the Senate voted to end the death penalty, overriding the governor’s veto. Claudia is teaching remedial math as an adjunct at River Valley Community College and says, “I admire all the effort these students, ages 18 to 58, make to pursue their education while working, caring for their own and family members’ health challenges, and struggling to make ends meet.” Claudia’s mother, Claudia Beardslee, died in March. She worked at Northfield (and then NMH) in the first half of the 1970s as a secretary in the Upward Bound office, and then for the assistant dean of the Northfield campus. “Having had the opportunity to accompany her on her endof-life journey helped me in my grieving,” Claudia reports. Husband Grant has begun his own adventure by becoming a massage therapist. Claudia has twice met for tea with Sally Atwater, who lives in Concord, N.H. • From Knoxville, Tenn., Andrea Ward Antone retired last year from her job as a physical therapist at Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville. After her husband passed away two years ago, Andrea moved to be near her oldest daughter and her family. Andrea spent a weekend in Hartford with Sue Gates in September 2018. “We strolled the Northfield campus on a Sunday and enjoyed the town,” wrote Andrea. “We felt like we had gone back in time, because things did not seem that different from when we were there. I hope to return in a couple years for our 50th.”

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Mount Hermon David C. Eldredge d.eldredge@verizon.net From David Eldredge: I’m feeling like the Maytag repairman — the loneliest man in the world! Instead of just posting on Facebook or whatever social media, you could drop an email to me for your latest updates and news for our class notes column.

Northfield Mount Hermon Tom Sisson 1972NMH@gmail.com Tom Sisson spent time at the NMH reunion in June. What a thrill to be able to give back to the school as a member of the Alumni Council and the Awards Committee. At one of the functions I heard a voice say to me, “You were in my Calculus II class.” I looked over and said, “And you had a blue Nova.” Lo and behold — Carol Mann. After 47 years, Carol revealed to me that I wasn’t the only one who struggled in her class. For all of you four-year Hoggers, especially from Cottage 2, floor officer Larry Nice ’69 says hi. • After 35 years of work as a general/bariatric surgeon, Steve Wohlgemuth retired in January. He had a wonderful, fulfilling career, but it was time to make a change. Steve is now spending his time developing his wood-turning business, Woogworks, and enjoying it. More important, he and his wife welcomed their first grandchild into the world in London on 5/4/19. Steve is hoping to make a commitment to reconnect with people who were important to him at every stage of his life. Contact me for Steve’s email address if you’d like to reach out to him. • After more than 15 years of full-time traveling, Brad Sherman and wife Jan have put down some roots on a small farm (hay and vegetables currently; apple and peach orchard to come) in Cañon City, Colo. They spent three months in Sicily last winter, but that will be the last trip for a few years as they put their effort into building out their new home. Brad and Jan welcome visitors to their new Colorado home. • After 30 years as a principal scientist in the pharmaceutical industry, Rodney Bannwart retired last year. He now owns and operates a commercial artisan cheese-making company. The company began three years ago as a side business, and now it’s a full-time occupation. Rodney and wife Tina celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary in Key West, which is where they spent their honeymoon. Steve still plays the flute, practicing every day and playing at church, in chamber groups, and at the Texas flute festival every spring. • David Skinner visited his daughter, her husband,

and two granddaughters in the U.K., and he enjoys being a grandparent. “You know the old saying: ‘You get all the fun, and then [you] get to give them back to their parents? ’ Nobody tells you that ‘all the fun’ requires a ton of energy!” said Dave. He is chairing the Bermuda Festival for the Performing Arts and enjoying the variety and challenges related to putting on an arts festival in a small community. • Deidra Dain wrote from Winchester, Va., where she has lived since 1999. Let her know if you’re nearby! After nearly 30 years commuting to the D.C. area as a federal contractor in behavioral health, Deidra is honing her client base to select engagements with less travel. Her current focus is on supporting mental health and emotional wellness of high school and college students of color, and her collaboration with A Better Chance brings back heartfelt memories and connections with lifelong NMH friends. • With all the construction going on around him and Amazon moving in, Frank Brewer decided to head east to Delaware for his retirement. He continues to work for GM on the medium duty truck introduction, and wife Gloria will finish out her career at Montgomery College next year. Frank has decided to sell the “Wicked Blues” to be a bit more mobile and be able to go to Florida for longer periods of time and not worry about the boat every day. • In Colorado, Craig Ward enjoys a wonderful winter of snow and cold weather that lingers into spring. He never takes for granted his fortunate lifestyle, where he can be in true wilderness in about 15 minutes. The flexibility of being a real estate broker is a dream come true. Craig encourages any classmates to come and ski in the wintertime. Join him for bike trips, educational ventures, and creative pursuits in our retirement years! • S. Gwenne Rippon graduated from Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., in 1989 with a degree in English literature. She and her husband inherited a small dairy farm in Schuylerville, N.Y., which they have worked for 30 years. Their daughter graduated from Yale in 2012, then from the Yale School of Forestry in 2014 with a master’s in environmental management. She loves her job working with the National Young Farmers Coalition as land-access campaign manager. She travels all over the country meeting young farmers, leading workshops, and doing policy work. • Peggy Stone and husband Ted are sticking closer to home now due to Ted’s health. But it seems like the whole world now goes to their house for a visit, starting with one of Peggy’s former pharmacy students whom

she hadn’t seen in 20 years. That visitor was followed by their first lodger from 25 years ago who lives in Los Angeles, and a French friend that Peggy first met in 1977 when they were both exchange students in Germany. The biggest surprise of all was seeing Laura Brooks, daughter of our favorite class teachers. She’s an honorary Brit, having worked previously in London for three years. • Jeff Kessler’s younger child, Philip, graduated from the University of New Hampshire in May with a degree in information technology. Jeff’s daughter, Katharine, completed her nursing degree last year and is working in an area hospital. Wife Laura is retired from teaching in June and will be spending more time volunteering with a nonprofit service organization. Jeff was reelected to another three-year term on his town’s board of selectmen. • With the help of many friends from the Unitarian Universalist Church of Nashua and NMH friend Susan Fenske McDonough ’74, Nancy Klarman moved during the week her brother Jim passed away, and she managed to clear her father’s house. Nancy retired from the U.S. Census Bureau at the end of February. She is still settling into her condo and remodeling a bit. In March, she took a break and drove down to North Carolina to pick up her new Beauceron dog, Kit, from foster care. And in May, Nancy was an alumni singer at the 125th Sacred Concert — her first time as an alumni singer! • Tom Riegelman’s latest stop on life’s journey is in Arden, N.C., just outside of Asheville, deep in the Smoky Mountains. He found a boat club again after moving his scull from place to place over the past 14 years. The boat still floats, and he actually remembers how to row. Tom even remembers how to do the stylish push-off from the dock while standing up in the boat. His family is all healthy and happy. • Tod Schadler followed in his dad’s footsteps and became a veterinarian in 1983. Tod owned a private practice for 20 years, became an associate dean at two different veterinary schools, and is now executive director of the North Carolina Veterinary Medical Board. “Still working, but I hope to retire sometime within the next five years,” said Tod. He lives in Raleigh, N.C., with his wife and two dogs. His hobbies are playing the guitar and gardening. Both seem to touch his soul in a special way. • Gwyneth Jones Radloff shared, “Scott and I are looking forward to daughter Chrissy’s wedding in Salt Lake City Canyon. Hopefully, this year’s abundant rain and massive snowmelt in Utah will stave off the usual rampant wildfires.” Then they will

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head to a wedding in Maine, where Gwyneth plans to reduce the local population of lobsters. Meanwhile, the craziness at the harbor continues with sailing school participants running into each other and American Visionary Art Museum’s Kinetic Sculpture Race entering the water next to their building. Lunatic creative geniuses create human-powered contraptions that must travel over land, in water, and through mud and sand to compete for prizes. • Karen Beshar Zakalik finds her work as a research coordinator very fulfilling, and she has no plans to retire like so many other people our age. She oversees the care and advocacy for a parent with Alzheimer’s disease. The support Karen receives from family, friends, and medical professionals eases the sorrow she feels as the disease progresses. Karen is impressed by her mother’s acceptance of her limitations and the enjoyment she experiences when they attend classical music concerts together. • Hope Kaltenthaler Belanger celebrated 34 years with CDM Smith in August, and she plans on working for at least two more years. So, if all goes as planned, Hope will be retired at the time of our reunion. After more than six months of Hope’s kitchen remodeling, the end is in sight. • Robin Smith-Johnson is still teaching as an adjunct English instructor at Cape Cod Community College. She is also co-editor of a Cape Cod poetry anthology, The Farther Shore, due out in 2020. Robin is working with local poets Alice Kociemba and Rich Youmans on this project. • Northfield Mount Hermon had a profound influence on Lauren Boulware’s life. “NMH taught me excellent table manners,” said Lauren. “It taught me that there were smarter people than me in this world, but that I could still learn a lot. I learned how to socialize and get along with people and to stand up for myself. I learned what lacrosse was and how hard it was to get down the field without dropping that little ball. I learned deep historical narratives about what really happened in Jesus’ times and began to formulate my own view of religion. I learned the importance of Bible references in literature. I learned how to guess the meanings of words based on Greek and Latin roots. It taught me how the other half lives. And thanks to all I learned at NMH, I found my first year at Stanford easy. I didn’t have to figure out how to live with a roommate, how to do my own laundry, or how to carve out time to study. NMH taught me all of that. In the years since NMH, my life has seemed to go in seven-year cycles, but not by design. I look forward to the 2022 reunion, and would love to meet anyone

NMH Magazine

visiting Minneapolis for a drink or dinner.” • Rick Stobaeus is still recovering from Hurricane Maria and his house is nearly rebuilt. He’s been busy with his house-andfarm-call veterinary practice. Five American veterinary students from St. George’s University School of Veterinary Medicine will be doing externships with Rick this year. Rick and wife Carol are looking forward to having several NMH friends visit them in Dominica. Amanda Lawrence ’10 and Michael Lees ’10 both live in Dominica.

Northfield Mount Hermon Heather Blanchard Tower smtower@comcast.net • Bill Stewart billstewartnmh73@gmail.com From Bill: Last fall was a double blessing for our family. Son William Blake and his wife, Stephanie, graced us with our first grandchild, Jackson Elias, now six months old and thriving. Blake’s brother, Christopher Livengood, married Jamie Leigh Pardue. All four of them live in Winston-Salem, N.C., where Chris and Jamie have a thriving stereo and furniture store, Ember Audio + Design. I would really love to retire, but my work life is ironically the best it’s ever been, coming up on 10 years with AIDS Healthcare Foundation. My violin playing gets better all the time, and I performed with Berkeley Baroque Strings in June as part of the Boston Early Music Festival. • “My darling mother moved to assisted living very close by, so I have an independent life again while still being able to care for her,” wrote Amy Halsted. “I’m coming out about my lifelong polyamorous orientation and found ready acceptance among friends and family. Then there was astounding success this year with a phone app weight-loss program (message me if you want to know which one). I’m deeply appreciative of my NMH friends. All are welcome to visit in Bennington, Vt.” • Betsy Bruce continues her work in Thailand with the Peace Corps: “Made it through training … and now at site, in a small agricultural and fishing village very close to the beach. On arrival, I ran a two-week camp with English, crafts, and playground games for nearly 30 8- to 11-year-olds. Boy, did they love jumping rope: best $15 investment for a few coils of nylon rope. Should be here until March 2021.” • Tilton School, an independent college-prep school in New Hampshire, has chosen Wayne King’s novel, Sacred Trust, as their “summer community read.” Wayne spoke at the school in September at a “wrap-up” event. • Moira Donovan and three of her colleagues in Morristown, Vt., created

a unique project for their students. A day of giving back to the community included not only service projects but interviews of local businesses, organizers, and town professionals. Their stories were edited, banners of the people interviewed were created with pop art, and storyboards were created that were then dramatized. This project taught the students about their community and helped them become more invested. To learn more, search for Morrisville School Project at www.vpr.org. • Thatcher Stone wrote, “For 30 years, I was a lawyer on Wall Street [and] involved in the financing of new Boeing and Airbus aircraft all over the world. I had received my pilot’s license in 1977. For many years, I represented the U.S. EXIM Bank, traveling all over the world negotiating aircraft finance in places like Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Europe, Morocco, the Emirates, Egypt, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and every country in South America except Bolivia … Now I am a civil rights lawyer, fulfilling a long-wished-for destiny to help ordinary people who have gotten screwed over by government, big business, or hospitals. My partner and I have become quite successful at this, including one of the largest awards for an [Americans with Disabilities Act] violation in Nevada, for a heterosexual man who was fired because of his HIV.” • Greg Burrill wrote, “Greetings, fellow Hoggers. Because I have no family in Portland, Ore., never married, never had children, and have dedicated the second half of my life to the service of humanity, all of my news is about my service. I am in my 15th year as a substitute teacher for Portland Public Schools, and my company, Mindful Education’s Next Direction, is up and running … I serve the teachers’ union, Portland Association of Teachers (PAT), on the executive board, legislative committee, political action committee, substitute teacher committee, and racial equity task force. I am a substitute delegate to the PAT Representative Assembly, a PAT delegate to the Oregon Education Association, and an Oregon delegate to the National Education Association. I am also a precinct committee person of the Democratic Party of Multnomah County, where I serve on the racial inclusivity work group and the education study group, and I am active in the Neighborhood Leader Program. I am a peace activist. I do not believe that the problems of our world can be solved with the same consciousness that created them, so the most important work I do is spreading the ideas of Shariff Abdullah, head of the Commonway Institute. I actually serve in all

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of those aforementioned political capacities in order to raise my public profile in service of Creating a World That Works for All (the title of Shariff’s award-winning book). In order to devote time to making a living in a morally acceptable way, I have had to largely suspend my philosophical work. I still plan to someday write a treatise on human nature and a novel of speculative fiction showing how a society based on my understanding of human nature would function. I enjoy nothing more than welcoming visitors to my adopted home, so please get in touch if you’re planning to visit.” • From Heather: I have been busy with work and keeping track of all my seniors, so there’s not much time for other pursuits. However, I do manage to sing each week with Sheila Heffernon and my daughter, conduct the church choir, and work on my yard. Sacred Concert was particularly special this year, as we marked the 125th. Sheila chose music from the past to the present. She also paired the alums with a current student, so we had a ready contact all weekend and into next year. The students were as eager to hear our stories as we were to hear theirs. Chris and Sara Seva are both happy and busy: a wonderful combination, and we are in touch often. Thanks to Bill for collecting all the wonderful news. Do keep remembering to share all the ups and downs.

Northfield Mount Hermon Stephanie Gerson stephanie.l.gerson@gmail.com As soon as I turned onto Lamplighter Way in June, I was home again: that idyllic setting of 70-foot pines and Narnia-like lampposts. • Niels Peter Olsen’s car died on the New York Thruway, but 43 other ’74ers and eight of their partners rolled onto the Mount Hermon campus to celebrate: Chuck Adams, Meredith O’Dowd Adams, Peter Allenby, Judy Armbruster, Eric Bam, Claire Bamberg and Lynda Howells, Jonathan Begg, David Betz, David Bither, Mark Bither, Will Buckson, John Burnham and Rachel Balaban, Ned Craun, Doug Creed and Ricardo Austrich ASLA, Kevin Cunningham, Andre Fleuriel, David Foell, Jane Heist Gamber and Scott, Stephanie Gerson, Keith Allison Gray and Agnes, former campus journalist Monie Thomas Hardwick, Josephine Hart, Betty Johnson Edwards and Timothy, David Jones, Dawn Dayton King and Peter King, Thomas Lawler, Jim Leven, Bill Martling, Christopher Matthews, Holt McChord, Sue Fenske McDonough, Jeffrey McDonough, Ginger Hinman McEachern, Gail Doyle Ratté, Chip Reardon, Ginny Risk, Jan Shepard and Anne, Douglas Shaw, Miriam Stinchfield, Don Thorpe, Jonathan Towne and

Rebecca Noreen, and our honorary classmates: Tom Sisson ’72, Jeff Kessler ’72, Channing Harris ’72, and Skip Weaver ’73. • Sue Fenske McDonough designed our own class swag: NMH ’74 logo backpacks and bandannas! She stocked the house with snacks, wine, and beer, turning Shea Cottage into our weekend home. We flipped through yearbooks, finding roommates, past crushes, sports teams, and shenanigans. • Early Saturday morning, Ned Craun, Meredith O’Dowd Adams, and I walked down to the new boat christening, after which Ned and Chris Matthews ran in the campus 5K; Meredith rode in the Pie Ride; and Doug Creed, David Jones, Tom Lawler, and Eric Bam took part in the morning row on the Connecticut. I took photos from the dock with Ginger Hinman McEachern, Jane Heist Gamber, and Monie Thomas Hardwick, appropriately dressed in white. • Jonathan Towne performed an hour-long concert at Rhodes Auditorium, surrounded by classmates. On Saturday, Claire Bamberg led our class memorial service, announcing names of lost classmates. • At Saturday afternoon Alumni Convocation, Josephine Josie Hart was awarded the Lamplighter Award — the highest honor from the Alumni Association for service to school — for exceeding the call of duty in dedication, embodying the NMH philosophy of head, heart, and hand, and by making a difference for NMH and her communities. Saturday night, Dr. Peter King’s band, Prescription, played yet again at Grandin. Then a late-night party at Overtoun, replete with campus police searching for sparklers atop the chapel staircase. During Sunday-morning brunch, David Jones organized our work job oiling teak benches (suggested by Channing Harris). Some wandered the campus, while Holt McChord, Jeff McDonough, David Foell, and David Betz hiked up to the reservoir. • Josephine Josie

From left: David Foell ’74, Holt McChord ’74, Dave Betz ’74, and Jeff McDonough ’74 took a break from Reunion 2019 to go hiking.

Hart shared, “Our class notes, reunion

conversations, emails, and posts reflect our love for NMH and each other. Let’s all pay it forward, ensuring our experiences are shared by those who come after. It’s been a pleasure serving our school! I cherish the chats in the lounge, dinner and breakfast laughs, staining benches, and late-night conversations with Gail Doyle Ratté and Sue Fenske McDonough. What a blessing knowing each of you. I am eternally grateful for the recognition at Convocation and the support of faculty, staff, trustees, and friends over the years. Financial report: as of June 22, 74 people gave over $79,107 to the NMH Fund, exceeding our goal of 74 contributors and $74,000! We increased the Class of 1974 Scholarship fund by $9,724. Our 50th Reunion Gift pledges already total over $551,000! That’s half a million, folks! But let’s try to beat ’69’s $3 million!” • From Ned Craun: “Enjoyed hanging out with classmates down by the river on an amazing spring day. Said goodbye to the old boathouse and will welcome a new one soon. It’s great that we still are meeting fun and interesting classmates for the first time after all these years.” • Gail Doyle Ratté brought photos of her with late classmate Sam Koch. Gail wrote, “I knew NMH was special while attending, but with the added perspective that only life experiences can provide, I have a deeper understanding of the school’s impact on me.” • Ginger Hinman McEachern said, “I had a wonderful time [at reunion] with Jane Heist Gamber and Ned Craun listening to Mark Bither’s fabulous stories, laughing and laughing … Still living in Natick, Mass., enjoying being an artist and gallery/gift shop owner. Husband Paul recently retired, so we look forward to travel. Enjoying that our two grown daughters are nearby.” • “From the incredible swag to the most gracious hospitality,” said Jane Heist Gamber, “ours was truly a memorable [reunion] weekend. I continue to be warmed by the flashbacks, Jonathan’s amazing concert, interesting conversations, funny stories, meeting ‘new’ people, poignant memories of those no longer with us.” • Monie Thomas Hardwick: “It’s pretty amazing to see the class of 1974 held together over 45 years! The outreach, food, hospitality, and warm welcome made me feel welcome and wanted.” • Jon Begg has retired from teaching seventh-grade science full time, and now teaches part time in southern Vermont. He lives with his wife of 40 years, and his son lives in Seattle. • “Such a beautiful day,” said Chuck Adams. “Had so much fun connecting with friends from 45 years ago

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The France semester abroad crew at their 45th reunion included (front, l–r) Judy Armbruster ’74, Kevin Cunningham ’74, Claire Bamberg ’74, Jane Heist Gamber ’74, and (back) Dawn Dayton King ’74 and Peter King ’74.

and making new ones.” • Jonathan Towne shared, “I had a wonderful time connecting with old friends and new at reunion … It was a pleasure to perform a recital with my wife, Rebecca Noreen, in the Rhodes Arts Center. Thank you to my classmates for coming to the performance and supporting us; you were a great audience.” • From Doug Creed: “Counting gratitudes! Thank you all!” • Bill Martling said, “An unbelievable ’74 reunion weekend! How fortunate we all are returning to this beautiful place, reconnecting, refreshing, securing old and new friendships. Thank you to all who made this reunion special, particularly Sue Fenske McDonough for making us all comfortable. And to Jonathan Towne and his wife Rebecca for a beautiful clarinet, bassoon, and piano recital … NMH grounded me at an impressionable age; the school, faculty, staff, and my fellow classmates shaped my future life. I found my passion in sailing and racing in joining the sailing team [in] senior year. An avocation these 45 years, but 25 years ago I made it my profession. Last October, I returned as sailboat rigger at Kingman Yacht Center, Buzzards Bay, Mass. Still living in Centerville [Cape Cod]. Give a shoutout when traveling through!” • “I share the values and ethics learned at Mount Hermon with my own boys,” wrote Peter Allenby. “My hope is that they find as strong a core of what is right: good ethics, the heart, the head, and hand, to live well. Reunion reinforces how lovely and fortunate we all are to have had this special launch pad to life!.” • John Burnham shared, “Three perfect days on this beautiful hillside. We have been reminded just how many steps we took in the average day here. Fun, as always, to get together with classmates, whether at the class memorial service, singing together, or sharing some casual conversation while brushing our teeth in the morning!” • “Wonderful to come back and see friends,

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old and new, wrote Ginny Risk. “Thanks to all who showed up and lent a hand. It’s good to remember!” • “Classmates David Bither and Eric Bam convinced me to return to NMH and I am thrilled they did,” Jim Leven wrote. “The campus is even more beautiful and majestic than I remembered … NMH provided me [with] the skills to create and build my career in broadcasting; I will forever be grateful to the school for its contributions to my life.” • “Good to see old and new (old) faces. Let’s have a bundle for our 50th,” said Judy Armbruster. • Don Thorpe shared, “I had a great time at my first NMH reunion. It’s funny how people’s looks change through the years, but two things seem to stay the same: a person’s voice and their eyes. I majored in art at Johnson State College. I returned to school at Vermont Technical College, earning an associate degree in 1980 in architectural and building engineering.” • Jeff McDonough reflected, “We were closer to D.L. Moody’s idea of a closed school community in 1880 than the kids today are. We had two pay phones in Overtoun; I cannot recollect anyone with a TV in their room or ever watching TV. Everything was focused on the school ... West Hall has the same tables and chairs. Must be indestructible! The 50th reunion will probably be my last unless I make 75.” • From Meredith O’Dowd Adams: “Reunion was fantastic. Rushed in Friday night, with Brian Hargrove’s reception in swing. Talked to fellow sailors Peter Allenby and Bill Martling. Saturday morning we saw the new boat shell. I rode the 30-mile Pie Ride, earning an NMH cycling jacket, deep-dish apple pie, and fresh ice cream. Cycled with Richard Staples ’68 … Saturday night I saw Morocco term-abroad friend Dave Betz. Saturday afternoon walked through campus, finding my senior dorm Cottage V, where Sidney Poitier’s daughter, Pam, pierced my ears with a needle and ice cube one night. Claire Bamberg has a gift, so powerful, with such emotional empathy. Planning a Newport mini reunion; White Mountains fall hiking with Stephanie Gerson and Tom Sisson ’72; and a North Carolina lemur and hiking trip with Stephanie, then visiting Chris Matthews.” • Chris Matthews spent spring in Cuba, Budapest, and Spain, researching and planning church leadership programs. “Remembered senior Spain term abroad,” Chris reflected, “and that John Begg and Doug Shaw made a trip down the Amazon River. Saturday late night, Dave Jones, Eric Bam, and Chris talked in the hall: NMH made college easier for us, reliving fire extinguishers and pranks … Especially

enjoyed Jonathan Towne’s concert, such talent! Future reunion ideas: classmate presentations of personal experiences — sailing, hiking, the national parks, travel, the Morocco, Spain, and France terms abroad, D.L. Moody stories … ” • Claire Bamberg officiated over our Saturday memorial service by our class tree: “Don’t get me wrong; it is difficult to read the increasing list of names. There are times when I have to take a deep breath, when the undertow of emotion gets the better of me. I am grateful to be able to do this for us, to provide an inclusive and (I hope) healing and comforting service … When we remember them, their legacy lives.” • Now retired, Mark Bither was an Army colonel nurse corps officer and senior civilian staff officer at Army Medical Research Command, Fort Detrick, Md. He now lives in San Antonio, Texas, and has been married for 32 years to Cheryl. His son Patrick is in Los Angeles, Corey is in China, and Matthew lives in Connecticut. • See you all in 2024 for the 50th reunion!

Northfield Mount Hermon Veronica Froelich Adams veronicafadams@gmail.com • Kimberly Marlowe Hartnett kbmhartnett@gmail.com Deborah Rosenberg still teaches costume design and related classes at Southern Oregon University (SOU), designing for one show and supervising the design of several others each year. Her department offers a summer intensive master’s program in theater production and design for highschool and junior-college drama teachers, a program that she helped found and now coordinates. She is completing her first year on the SOU Board of Trustees, which she finds fascinating. Deborah is still in touch with the elusive Karl Fezer, but would love to hear from other compatriots from our collective youth. • In April, Deborah Knight Snyder, her husband, and one of her sons and his girlfriend were in London and enjoyed time with Ilene Feldman Steele and her family. Last winter, Ilene, Deborah, and

Ronni Froelich Adams ’75 (left) and Sue Hoehing ’75

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Making Old Music Dongsok Shin ’76 drove cross-country this summer from his home in New York City to California, where he performs every July in the Carmel Bach Festival. Alongside him in his minivan was an unusual road trip companion: his fortepiano. You can’t entrust a replica of Mozart’s instrument to just anyone, can you? For the past 22 years, Shin has played harpsichord, organ, and fortepiano with REBEL, a baroque music ensemble in New York named after the French composer Jean-Féry Rebel. He began playing modern piano when he was just 4 years old, taught by his mother, a former NMH music teacher. In college, he grew interested in older instruments such as the harpsichord, which Shin says has been around since the 14th century, and early versions of the piano, which has been around since the late 17th century. When REBEL is not on tour, Shin performs with other ensembles and works as the harpsichord technician at the Metropolitan Opera for several operas each year. “You can’t make a living just playing,” he says. He also tunes antique instruments at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and helps maintain antique harpsichords owned by collectors across the country. “I fix them, tune them,” he says. “I’m always finding out about harpsichords in New York City that I didn’t know were there!” —Zoe Licata ’15

Nancy Perry Wicks had lunch in Boston.

Deborah wrote in June, “This summer, we are heading to Colorado for a wedding, and on that same trip, we will be visiting my NMH roommate Betsy Horowitz Rich and her husband, Jamie. Such nice NMH lifelong friendships!” • Kathy Graff Low has been on sabbatical after an administrative stint at Bates College. She has been enjoying lots of travel, reconnecting with friends and family, and thinking about how she wants to spend the next couple of decades. Kathy still sees Lise Haas Erickson and Cheryl Smith Grady, and is grateful for those important friendships. This year Kathy found herself thinking about the remarkable Russian teacher Fred Johnson, with whom she did her first international travel in 1974. • Now that they find themselves to almost be “neighbors,” Susan Hoehing and Ronni Froelich Adams enjoyed spending a day together in the Toledo area. Having made the final move back to her home state of Michigan, Ronni drove from Detroit (where she is making slow progress with renovating her 100-year-old colonial fixer-upper). Ronni occasionally returns to the D.C. area for training and organizational development consulting work and is seeking opportunities to conduct professional development work in the sociopolitical change arena. • Susan Hoehing has made her home for a number of years in or near Toledo, after having lived several years in Germany and Portugal, and she continues to teach English and ESL at the University of Toledo. She enjoys being in touch with classmates John Schlorholtz and

Susie Fairbank. John and Susie have recently been in touch with Katie Hilboldt Farrell,

who lives near Ann Arbor, Mich. Katie is busy helping to plan her daughter’s wedding, spending time with her seven grandchildren, growing her catering company, and collaborating with husband Damian on a new development project. • Rob Farley’s five daughters, who live across the globe, were back in New Hampshire for a visit in early July. It was the first time they have all been together again since the passing of Rob’s wife, Gail, last year. Rob has been spending more time volunteering at the fire station he has served for many years, and was honored with the Firefighter of the Year award at the department’s annual banquet in spring. • Chris Thompson and Elena Caudle Thompson were sweethearts at NMH, if you’ll recall, and are still kickin’ it, literally. Chris owns and teaches at Elegant Dancing, Inc., in Fairfax, Va., and continues to compete in the ballroom-dance field. Chris’ ballroom and Latin studio is the largest in northern Virginia and he has plans for expansion. Elena owns Telosity Coaching, LLC, whose goal is to help people find their intention and purpose. She works with senior executives, lawyers, CEOs, and project teams in the Washington, D.C., corporate world. Chris and Elena’s son, Brandon, is a professor at an Australian university in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Daughter Alexandra is a research associate studying and publishing about sustainability at Resources for the Future in Washington, D.C.

Northfield Mount Hermon Susan Loring-Wells susanloring@me.com • Joe Mcveigh joe@joemcveigh.org From Joe: I returned to campus in May 2019 to sing in the 125th annual Sacred Concert. Also singing was Lynn Stobaeus Mayo. We briefly re-created our dance, “The Spanish Panic,” from the 1975 spring musical Once Upon a Mattress. Matt Kennedy was in the Sacred Concert audience, watching his son and daughter perform. • In August 2017, Mark Bidwell traveled to Kentucky to get a good look at the total eclipse of the sun. He said it was a mind-blowing experience and totally worth the trip. Mark is still an active downhill skier, water skier, bicyclist, and Rollerblader. • Helen Coons was chosen president-elect of the Society for Health Psychology, a division of the American Psychological Association. The group contributes to the well-being of individuals, families, communities, and health care. • Chris Kraus has been traveling for work on trips to Italy, Dresden, and Oxford. She has returned to her position as chair of the classics department at Yale. She and partner Peter Morgan enjoyed the summer with their daughter, Eleanor, who had a part-time internship at New Directions Publishing in between her junior and senior years at Haverford. • Rebecca Verrill Smith is in her 15th year as children’s librarian at the Public Library in Malden, Mass. Her leisure pursuits include yoga, letterboxing, and reading. In summer 2018, her family of four had a fun trip to

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Tom Schiller ’76 appeared in The Importance of Being Earnest at the Silver Spring Stage in Maryland.

England, where they hiked part of Hadrian’s Wall and some of the Jurassic Coast, with more adventures in between. Subsequently filled with wanderlust, Rebecca and husband Michael visited London and Paris in spring 2019 for their 25th anniversary. Daughter Lydia graduated with honors in psychology from Bryn Mawr and is now a research assistant at UMass Boston’s Center for Social Development and Education. Son Theo is a freshman at Haverford. • In March 2019, Caroline Hemenway hosted a dinner at her house in northern Virginia for classmates Dongsok Shin, David Bernstein, and Tom Schiller, along with Chris Thompson ’75 and Elena Caudle Thompson ’75 (see class of 1975’s class notes column for Chris and Elena’s updates). They laughed at their photos in the old Gemini yearbooks, and stayed up until midnight mourning lost classmates, wondering how others are these days, including Phoebe Goder Waller-Sharp, Robin Huey, Naomi Benattar-Yablong, Charlotte Bacon Holton, Will Torrey, and Terry Green, to name a few. • Dongsok Shin was in the Washington, D.C., area from home base in New York City to perform with his baroque group, REBEL, for which he plays harpsichord, organ, and fortepiano. He is the harpsichord technician for the Metropolitan Opera and tuner of the antique keyboards at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In his spare time, he is a recording producer and engineer. His three kids are all grown and out of the house. • David Bernstein has owned DJB Evaluation Consulting in Rockville, Md., since 2017. He works as a research consultant and continues his passions for music and photography, which means he gets to a lot of concerts. He enjoys spending time with his daughters, who are both in college in Pennsylvania. • Tom Schiller has been treading the boards in amateur productions. He played the roles of both Lane and Merriman in The

NMH Magazine

Importance of Being Earnest at the Silver Spring Stage in Maryland, and the role of Teddy Brewster in Arsenic and Old Lace for the Arlington Players. Tom is experimenting with voice-over work and also assisting patients with aspiring health-care providers. His daughter, Laura, is a physical therapist at Johns Hopkins; his son, Cyrus, graduated from St. John’s College. Tom and wife Janet have two cats and a puppy. • Caroline Hemenway runs her own business, Hemenway Inc. in Fairfax, Va., where she develops emergency-management and disasterresponse programs for public and private organizations. She is a member of the Fairfax Community Emergency Response Team and regularly volunteers and participates in multi-agency FEMA exercises. She has cut back on the number of long-form triathlons she tries in order to spend more time with family, friends, clay, music, animals, scuba, garden soil, wilderness treks, and other pursuits. Her husband, Martin Chamberlin, is active in horse racing and attends grad school at George Mason University. Their daughter, Samantha, works nearby at Fannie Mae, son Austin is at Expeto Solutions in San Francisco, and son Matthew works at Zymergen in Emeryville, Calif. • Make sure we have your current contact information by emailing addressupdates@nmhschool.org and joining the NMH Class of 1976 Facebook page. We are happy to help you connect with old friends — just send us an email, and if we’ve got their contact info, we’ll be glad to pass it along. • We would love to see our class make a difference to the school of today by increasing our financial giving. Many thanks to all of you who respond generously to those letters, emails, and phone calls to help us meet our goals for dollars and participation. Keep it up!

Northfield Mount Hermon Anne Howson ahowson@rics.bwh.harvard.edu Karen Morrison Ross lives in New York City with her husband, Michael. “Our three amazing (now adult) children live nearby,” said Karen. “I teach in the LLM (Master of Laws) program at New York University School of Law and am thrilled about the release of my book, Essential Legal English in Context: Understanding the Vocabulary of U.S. Law and Government (NYU Press). It is available at both Amazon and the NYU Press (NYUPress.org) website. While the primary audience is international lawyers and students who will be entering a U.S. law school, many others entering law school or studying U.S. law or government who are not

familiar with the U.S. legal system will find the book useful as well. There’s lots of interesting vocabulary, and one important goal is to prepare students to read U.S. case law. If anyone lives in or visits New York City, let me know, especially you Cottage 5ers; I have so many wonderful memories of growing up together!” • Sharon Moore is still in Paris with her 15-year-old daughter, Sophie, who just started the international baccalaureate program at her high school. “Susan Fenichell ’78 and her family came to stay with us last February,” wrote Sharon. “What a treat! We talked for hours like old days in the MerrillKeep butt room, minus the smoking! Later in the spring, we had a wonderful visit with Louise and Dick Schwingel when we saw the Courtauld Collection at the Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris, and [we] had some lovely dinners together.” • John Greenup lives in West Cambridge, Mass., and frequently rows on the Charles River from the Cambridge Boat Club (CBC) near his home. Last October he invited the NMH rowing team to make his club its home base for the Head of the Charles Regatta (HOCR). “Both the boys’ and girls’ boats finished well. The girls were on fire, finishing 11th out of 85. The boys’ boat was coxed by senior Lucia, daughter of Victor Nuovo. The boys rowed to a strong finish, placing 30th of 85.” John reports that NMH has switched from eight-person shells to using fours in competition. “The intent is to make more boats competitive and offer a third and fourth boat for racing. Eights are still used for novice training. Several trustees, alumni, and parents stepped up and donated shells and other equipment to the rowing program over the last year or two. In early May, I attended a dedication ceremony on campus for six new shells. It was great to see the outpouring of support to transform the program. Subsequently, in late May, the 32 rowers and eight coxes qualified eight boats in the New England Interscholastic Rowing Association (NEIRA) championships in Worcester. For the first time, both the boys’ and girls’ first, second, third, and fourth boats competed in the elimination heats. Six boats made it to the finals. No other school had eight boats in competition. Go NMH! NEIRA championships occurred on Prize Day. I watched the coaches award senior prizes to rowers between the qualifying heats and the finals. A dozen prizes were given out, including two Head of School Awards. It was an impressive moment for the seniors, the team, and the program.” • Joanie Kaplan Williams lives in Vero Beach, Fla., and reported, “Phil and I bought a beautiful new townhome six blocks away

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from the house we have lived in for 11 years. The new house is still on the water, but [is a] perfect downsize for us empty nesters. Watercrest Senior Living (watercrestseniorliving.com) turned seven years old … we have opened eight senior living communities, we have six under construction … four open this year, and we are breaking ground on four more this year. We have 400 employees and will be at 700 employees by the end of the year. We were named Great Place to Work two years in a row. Crazy busy, but I love what I do and what Watercrest does for the senior living industry. Still crazy about golf and play every Sunday, but can’t seem to get below 16 handicap. Miss everyone, and still hope we can do a mini reunion sometime before our next one in 2022.” • Ellen Balka shares an interesting story: “I see Tim Takaro ’75 regularly at monthly meetings of associate deans of research here at Simon Fraser University, where we both work. Tim represents the Faculty of Health Sciences, and I represent the Faculty of Communication, Art and Technology. I knew Tim as a colleague before I figured out that we had been a year apart at NMH. Jeff Aliber told me about an app through which I figured out that someone a year ahead of me at NMH lived nearby. I recognized the name from work. Although we had people in common at NMH, we didn’t know one another back then.” • Sarah Clark Stuart had a great mini reunion in May with Dave Ruekberg, who visited the Philly area for a weekend. “He came by for lunch and a walk on Sunday afternoon,” wrote Sarah. “It was wonderful to get caught up on each other’s lives. I’ve been keeping Carol Brewster Hills, who lost her mom recently, close to my heart. I listen to her many evenings (with enormous pride) on NPR when she hosts ‘The World,’ and her voice is comforting at the end of long days. She always has such good questions!” • James Gullickson shared, “I’m in Ireland as I [write] this. We were in Taplow, England, for my nephew’s wedding. Figured since we were already across the pond, might as well visit Ireland! Shannon and I are in Kilkenny for a couple days, and then Dublin … then home. Loving Kilkenny. It’s like you went back in time about 800 years, but still comfy and hip. If NMH folks ever go, make sure to stop at the Hole in the Wall pub. Such history! And Irish coffee. Shoutout to Chris Castaneda and Bill Goldenthal ’79. Cheers!” • Anthea Berg Zito exhibited her paintings in an open juried show at the Bendheim Gallery in Greenwich, Conn., during the summer, and exhibited new work at the CLIO Art Fair in New York City in October. Last February, she went on a fantastic photography safari in Tanzania

with Natural Habitat Adventures, which is the travel arm of World Wildlife Fund. Anthea fills in time tutoring students in ACT English and reading, playing tennis, walking her husky mystery-mix-breed, keeping tabs on her two 20-somethings (one still in college), and dreaming of California. • Sally Lockwood lives in Ithaca, N.Y., and wrote, “As I approach retirement age, I still wonder what I’m going to do and where I’m going to do it. Hopefully, I’ll be near a body of water, family, and good friends.” • Eugene Fong lives in Redondo Beach, Calif. “I have been in California since 1982,” wrote Eugene, “and am married for my third and hopefully last time, with five kids, three grandkids … Daughter Hannah graduated University of Maryland’s Dental School together with her classmate and dentist husband, Ian. She will be in private practice. Ian will be working for the Air Force for the next four years. Oldest son Cory (33) is a musician, a great singer, and killer guitar player … Daughter Amanda (31) is a stay-at-home mom. I have a 15-year-old son, Connor, a sophomore … at Redondo Union High School. My youngest is Sienna, a talented 12-year-old, [in] seventh grade. Those of you who remember my mom, [she] turned 90 last year. I lost my dad a few years ago when he was 86. Based on genes, I should be good for another 30+ years … Fond NMH memories of great friends from all the years: teammates from track and cross-country, wrestling, chamber and full orchestra; never lost at Ping Pong; Saturday Night Live in Hayden; dances; the Pie Race and Mountain Day; ‘Jerusalem’; great teachers and coaches. Things I did not enjoy: West Hall roast beef; Saturday-morning study hall; Sunday-morning dish crew; dorm closing; freshman year felt like it went on forever. I am not on any social media yet, so if anyone is near Redondo Beach, Calif., please look me up.”

Peter Weis ’78 and Heidi Walters Nelson ’78 hold up the recovered Northfield Campus sign that is now on display in Schauffler Library.

Eugene Fong ’77 with his mother

Northfield Mount Hermon Donna Grinold Hawley djghawley@aol.com Hello, class of ’78! Please send me an email with any news that you would like to share with the NMH community. I also suggest that you check out the NMH Class of ’78 page on Facebook. It was there that Ellen McVeigh Crawford shared the sad news that Mark Albert, Deborah Allenby Albert’s husband, had passed away. Some friends were able to show Debbie their support online, while others posted photos of their actual coming together. • Heidi Walter Nelson posted a few photos of the Northfield campus sign that she purchased in an antiques shop in Greenfield years ago. In spring, she returned it to NMH and, with the help of classmate Peter Weis, it found a place in the library. Heidi shared, “I am teaching in a special education class at Edward Little High School in Auburn, Maine. The students range in age from 14 to 20. It is a ‘functional living skills’ class. These kids are great, and I laugh and smile through much of my day. It is a breath of fresh air after being on call 24 hours a day, every day of the year, in my past career of 18 years with the Brunswick Police department. Linda (my wife) and I are very excited to be building our ‘forever’ home in Topham, Maine. We designed it to fit our needs for the years to come and have had a great time splurging on all of the finishing touches.” • Charlie North wrote, “I retired from the Foreign Service and the U.S. Agency for International Development in February after 31 years, including the last year and a half on detail to the U.S. Institute of Peace. Retirement didn’t last long, as I then started a job as the deputy CEO of the Global Partnership for Education, which strengthens education systems in developing countries.” • Finally, after years of being a stay-at-home mother and co-president of Latin America Parents Association, I am transitioning back into the world of full-time work, but on my terms. I have cobbled together a diverse schedule that includes private tutoring, running a drop-in day

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shelter for the homeless, and walking dogs. What about you? I would love to hear from all of you!

Northfield Mount Hermon Paige Relyea Lehman Paigerelyea@yahoo.com • Caryn Liebowitz Bonosevich Bonosevich@hotmail.com From Paige: As I write this, our 40th reunion is in the rear view, but what a wonderful weekend we shared! There were lots of opportunities to spend time together, catch up, and reflect on our NMH experiences. Oh, and our class rocked at the Thousand Arrows Karaoke Party in Grandin Friday night! • Susan Sherrill Axelrod lives in Portland, Maine, and this was her first time back for a reunion. She and Wendy Mauser Moores participated in the Alumni Row on the Connecticut River. Phil Nash lives in Northampton, Mass., and stays in touch with Wally Brown and John Alexander. • Andy Foster is an economics professor at Brown and commutes weekends to Washington, D.C., where his wife is an interim pastor for two years. • Sarah Heminway drove up from Connecticut on Saturday. She and husband Earl have joined the “empty nesters club” along with many other classmates! • Bob Ransom took time off before and after the reunion for a cross-country motorcycle trip from his home in Arizona. He said it’s time for more adventures! • Becky Sheppard spent time researching the school’s archives for information about her grandfather’s days at Mount Hermon. Becky and her husband, Chris, are retired and moved to Florida in 2017. Louise Muller is also retired and busy renovating a house in Connecticut with her fiancé. • Andrew Bourne lives in the Boston area; he’s a mental health worker and volunteers at the Boston National Historical Park in his free time. • Lygia Blacken Campbell works in New York City and is planning a European cycling adventure with her husband. • Kathy Horrigan is a librarian at University of New Hampshire. She was happy to be back on campus for reunion. • Thank you, Mike Wise, for the great photos throughout reunion weekend. I hope everyone had a chance to see the photos and video he created. • The award for class cheerleader goes to Ralph Bledsoe for his infectious enthusiasm and resounding voice singing “Jerusalem” at Convocation! • Rob Werner and wife Mary Ann arrived at reunion following a relaxing vacation in Hawaii. • It was great catching up with Ann Tenenbaum, Craig Weston, Dave Ehrenthal, Mark Rotblatt, Phyllis Housen, David Steinberg, Anita Nordal, Marjorie Salfas Powning, Julie Morris, and Scott Lundquist. Also attending reunion were Bruce Stanforth and James Shaw. Skip Grant had to miss reunion

NMH Magazine

for a last-minute business trip to Japan, but his spirit was present in the wonderful signs, banners, and stickers he made for our class! • Debbie Tompkins Sheehan and I got to know each other better. One of the best parts about coming back is the opportunity to connect and make new friends. • Jen Baker Warren wrote, “Spending time in Maine with my mother after a wonderful reunion weekend at NMH. Living in the West is hard sometimes … so far away! But enjoying admissions work at Santa Fe Waldorf School and #thecoffeewheel. Life sends us in unexpected directions. So grateful for my time at NMH and the people!” • A special thanks to Ann Tenenbaum and her sisters for being so generous with the Thousand Arrows Campaign! • Sadly, we have lost 24 classmates in the past 40 years. Throughout the weekend, there was a lighted tree in our class lounge with the name and photo of each lost classmate, and we held a moment of silence during the class meeting to honor and remember our friends: Jeffrey Belluschi, Anne Blackwell Blaney, Robert Bowhers, Alexander Bretton, Rhonda Malcarne Carter, Bruce Charette, Steve Flagler, Charles Harrington, Richard Harris, George Hollingworth, James Honiss, Benjamin Huen, Karen Loeb, Katherine Ludlum, Carol Peerce, David Rivers, Detlev Roegner, Howard Schoenfeld, Stephen Serley, Abigail Sheraton, Gina Sindoni, Jonathan Slaney, John van Reekum, and Christopher Wray. • “These notes come out months after they are submitted, but I believe our reunion will last in our memories for years,” wrote Estelle Dorain Burgess. “It was a very successful reunion, with beautiful New England weather! About 35 classmates returned to campus, and we reminisced about all the good times as if they happened yesterday … We all may not have been friends as students, but we all became new friends by the end of the weekend ... We missed the rest of you who could not attend, but please plan to be there in five years! Thanks to all on our reunion team for making our weekend so special: Paige Relyea Lehman, Rob Werner, Mike Wise, David Steinberg, David Ehrenthal, Anita Nordal, and Skip Grant.” • Folks, the success of our reunions depends upon the efforts of the Reunion Committee. A heartfelt thank you to our reunion chair,

Estelle Dorain Burgess, for her leadership

and tireless dedication to our class. She was reelected to coordinate our 45th reunion, along with new co-chair Rob Werner. We’re in good hands! • Keep in touch! We have an active class page on Facebook and invite you to join. Look for “Northfield Mount Hermon Class of 1979.” Also, please make sure NMH has your current contact info. Log in to the Alumni Community to update your profile.

Northfield Mount Hermon Jack Farrell jack@jackfarrell.org • Antony Pang aa1105@yahoo.com • Lynelle Kucharski lynelle@lynellekucharski.com • Kristin Kellom kkellom@nmhschool.org Hello, centennial class! Lynelle here. I hope everyone had a wonderful summer. My husband and I went trekking through the beautiful Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains of North Carolina, which also meant a visit to Asheville’s fun music and microbrewery scene! On the way back to Connecticut, we spent the 4th of July with Jae So in D.C., and visited Ann Titcomb Loew and her new husband, Pete Bechtel! Ann and Pete Bechtel were married November 2018 in Encinitas, Calif., where a small group of 10 family members joined them on their special day. Ann’s sister, Lynda Titcomb Hague ’82, was their officiant. Congratulations to the newlyweds! • I hope to see everyone next summer at our 40th reunion, where we can catch up in person! Until then, keep sending us news so we can stay in touch and share life’s ups and downs together! Kristin Kellom adds, “Our class Reunion Committee has already begun to plan for our 40th in June 2020. Keep an eye out for communications from them in the months to come!”

Northfield Mount Hermon Frank Chandler frank@thechandlers.com • Marina Colman marinacolman727@yahoo.com • Lilian Blacken Hannapel lilhannapel@gmail.com • Class of ’81 website: www.nmh81.us

Wendy Moores ’79 and Susan Axelrod ’79 at their reunion in June 2019

Northfield Mount Hermon Martha Holbrow Sandler martha.sandler@gmail.com • Michael Rickard mrickard330@cox.net Sally Willis urgently wrote, “We lost three classmates in 2018. If you have the chance to reconnect, reconnect.” And based on her update, she’s following her own advice. “Although we have lived within 10 miles of

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Robin Hirshberg Jobe ’83 and Mark Brodie ’83 got together in Denver in the spring.

Janice Russell ’83 and Courtney Small Francis ’83 met up in North Carolina in June 2019

Kerry Doyle ’84 and her family traveled and hiked in the West earlier this year.

each other for decades,” wrote Sally, “Mary Peck Castle and I rarely run into each other. NMH-Rocky Mountain held an alumni ski day at Breck in March [2019], and we both attended. It was great to take some runs with her that day. Join us next year. When the ski season was over, I headed to St. Augustine, Fla., for the Tour De Forts road bike event. While in St. Augustine, I met with Megan Duncan Conklin and Ted Conklin for dinner. It was great to catch up with them after 15 years. They [had] recently moved to the Jacksonville, Fla., area … I was back on campus for Reunion 2019 to ride in the 5th Annual Pie Ride … Larry Baker stopped by to ride on his way to Vermont, so it was great to catch up with him. On Saturday morning, there was a dedication ceremony for a new rowing shell named after Deane and Cynthia Lanphear, so I also had the chance to catch up with Kristin Lanphear LaPorte … It’s been 30-plus years since we last saw each other. It was great to run into fellow classmates at a reunion that wasn’t even ours.” A bonus to her update is that Sally Willis and Tod Dimmick are planning a weekend ski reunion in winter at Mount Sunapee in New Hampshire. Details to come, and if you’d like to hear more, contact me for Sally’s and Tod’s email addresses. • Jay Lochhead reported, “Still living and loving life in SoCal … Dana Point is home, with time spent back in Colorado whenever I can. Just back from a triathlon camp and signed up for another couple half Ironman races and an Ironman later this year. Also, started mountain bike racing in the past year … New addition to the family in December: Tempe, a mini Australian labradoodle. She is a handful.” • Barbara Salthouse Massoudi shared, “In February 2019, I started a small womanowned company called Thought Bridge, with a colleague here in Atlanta. We focus on the intersection of public health and health care and are already very busy! It’s been great to choose who we want to work with and where we can make the biggest impact.” • Katrina Harriman lives in Ridgefield, Conn., as an empty nester. “My older daughter, Kendall, lives in New York City and works

for National Geographic. My younger daughter, Haley, is a sophomore at College of William and Mary and is a Latin American studies major. I am teaching ancient history at a private school in Bedford, N.Y. I am the wellness and mindfulness director, as I am a certified mindfulness instructor … I will be working on my 200-hour yoga certification and raising funds for cancer at the Tri for a Cure in Portland, Maine, in July. In the past year, I have seen Kristin Lanphear LaPorte, Andrea Sferes, Elizabeth Cote Stine, Per Furmark, and Juan Conde. I look forward to seeing Mickey Gill, as she will be in New York!” • Which brings us to Marion “Mickey” Gill’s news: “Last April, I left Charleston, S.C., and relocated to New Jersey to be closer to family. I was lucky enough to land a position with Princeton University as associate director of special projects in the provost’s office. My first project is the expansion and rebuilding of the art museum being designed by Sir David Adjaye. He was the architect for the National Museum of African American History and Culture in D.C., my final project at the Smithsonian. Before leaving Charleston, I had a festive send-off dinner with Lilian Blacken Hannapel ’81 and Lori Christopher Glenn ’77. • Kelly Peelor Dickson wrote, “We had a family gathering this April in Mt. Pleasant, S.C., and, lo and behold, on the first night we discovered that NMH spanned across eight decades of our family history … Imagine the difference in the memories, experiences, and even the campuses themselves, uncovered over a couple of glasses of wine. It was a fun trip down NMH memory lane with Jill Peelor Rikkers ’84, Marcia Dubuar Reutershan ’43, and Nan Waite Cuddeback ’65. • Maggie Flaherty is assistant director of rehab at Kaiser in Walnut Creek, Calif. She and her husband, Max, are working on removing invasive plants and propagating native ones in the Berkeley/Oakland hills and thinking about the climate issue. Check out their website at skylinegardens.org. • Chris Rowell wrote, “After 12 years in Singapore, my wife and I are moving with our 8-year-old son to Scottsdale, Ariz.” • Lastly, from Martha

Holbrow Sandler: “Thanks for all your class

notes, everyone, especially since I left my request until the last minute! For me: wonderful daughter starting high school in the fall; my garden especially lovely this year, thanks to lots of hard work and a rainy spring; husband Craig’s business, the State House News Service; and interesting times at work at On The Rise, Inc., with strategic planning, a new focus on racial equity, and homelessness increasing in the Boston area, thanks to the unrelenting increase of housing costs. Still getting together with my bestie, Marian Vaillant Wrobel, from time to time, although never enough.”

Northfield Mount Hermon Allyson Goodwin allygoo83@gmail.com • Angela Lambert drangela@mac.com Courtney Small Francis and Janice Russell enjoyed a great breakfast together when Courtney was in Chapel Hill for a few days this past spring. • Heather Jones Sano, Sam Servello, and Bill Rowe sang together at the 125th Sacred Concert in May. Heather said, “It was wonderful to share music with Sheila [Heffernon]!” • Russell Schwartz wrote, “I am enjoying life in Charlotte, N.C. My oldest daughter, Morgan, successfully finished her first year at Auburn University … My middle daughter, Sydney, will be attending Hobart and William Smith Colleges (my alma mater) and will be playing on the women’s soccer team. Looking forward to four more years of watching her play. My youngest daughter, Abigail, [started] her junior year in high school. Two out of the house and one more to go!” • Robin Hirshberg Jobe writes, “My youngest, Austine, graduated from Kent Denver and is now at American University. Had brunch with Mark Brodie in Boulder. Come visit Denver: I have room!” • Lulu Lason Cannon visited Copenhagen, Denmark, to see her brother. Lulu, then celebrated her daughter Mackenzie’s graduation from Miami University, summa cum laude, with two degrees in psychology

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and family science (with a concentration in child life). For a graduation gift, their family enjoyed a trip to Key West. Their son, Alex, stayed with Dean Swartz and his family in May for a hockey showcase in the Boston area. • “Hard to believe I’ve been living in northern Vermont for 10 years,” said Rob Hodgkins. He’s enjoying life with his dog — a lab named George. Rob is busy restoring a 1955 18-foot Lyman boat. • Gretchen Bowder headed to Mexico last summer to learn about indigenous cultures and archaeology, thanks to a grant from work. • Three years ago, when the empty nest hit, Laurie Shaver Watt began a second career of guiding rock climbing , ice climbing, and mountaineering in New Hampshire. “Steep learning curve and tons of work developing skills, but loving it,” shared Laurie.

Northfield Mount Hermon Heidi Kronenberg heidi@esme.com • Kara Driscoll-Hazlett kara.hazlett@gmail.com We had an incredible reunion! Everyone had a wonderful time. I wasn’t able to make it because my daughter graduated from high school that weekend, but heard this from Caitlin Dyk Palacios: “Reunion was fabulous! Hope to see more people next time. Was great to reconnect with old friends, build on past reunion friendships, and make new friends. It reminded me what an incredibly special place NMH is and what amazing people it attracts. Many thanks to Chris Nagle for all his planning; to Margo Tenenbaum for her and her sisters’ generous challenge and contribution to NMH and for hosting us in their super ‘camper’; to Melissa Paul for her help with fundraising; and to all reunion registrants who made the journey

to NMH. • Kerry Doyle and her family went hiking out west this summer. She continues to work long hours as an immigration attorney. • From Nicole Armstrong Williams, “I had the pleasure of dining with Lisa Foy and her lovely husband when they were in town earlier this year for business. We were joined by Traci Kelly ’86 and her husband. Turns out we live in the same neighborhood! Small world. I’m sorry I missed reunion (I see you, Doug Calvin!). And I speak often to but never see enough of [former faculty] Sue Gentile [and] Ceylan Onor ’85 …” • Sarah Prescott says “hi” to classmates. If anyone is in Concord, N.H., please get in touch with her—she’s on Facebook. • From Heidi Kronenberg, “I am living in the Hudson Valley, and as I send my youngest off to Parsons in New York City, I will continue to raise my sheep, goats, chickens, rabbits, and dogs, and work hard on ESME.com and my Chicago-based social service company! Everyone is welcome to come visit!” • Please send me updates on FB Messenger and I will include them in the next edition.

Northfield Mount Hermon Jennifer Buell Horschman jenhorschman@yahoo.com David Mitchell passed away on 6/22/19 in New York City. Born in Manhattan, grew up on the Upper West Side and attended local schools before graduating from NMH. He attended Grinnell College in Iowa, receiving a bachelor’s degree in English. He worked for various companies, first in Chicago and then in New York, where he would meet his wife of 11 years, Lestiyani. They moved to Pelham, N.Y., in 2015 with their three children. In his last years, David worked for Stroz Friedberg AON Company as a project manager. He will be remembered as a gentle,

Ann ‘79, Margot ‘84, and Alison ‘88 Tenenbaum reunited with Dick and Louise Schwingel at Reunion 2019. Photo: Andrew Taylor ‘09

NMH Magazine

loyal, caring husband and father. He was a best friend to many, retaining close ties with people he had known since childhood. He was a voracious reader, had a deep interest in history, and loved visiting Montauk and listening to jazz. He thoroughly enjoyed making people laugh and impersonating voices. He will be greatly missed by his wife and their children: Moira, David, and Abigail.

Northfield Mount Hermon Geoffrey Locke gwlocke@gmail.com Amy Schwartz Saklad is managing Alzheimer’s research at University of Texas Health San Antonio and was planning to visit her boys in Denver and D.C. Amy and her husband, Steve, have adjusted to their empty nest and are enjoying time to catch up with friends. Amy will travel east to enjoy the New England fall and see more NMHers. • Kenny Fikes, who is now living full time in Knoxville, Tenn., recently caught up with Jennifer Buell Horschman ’85 in Asheville, N.C. Kenny also has spent time with Ethan Garber ’85 and keeps in regular contact with Bryan Callen ’85. Kenny’s daughter finished her freshman year at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. • Alysa Ray is moving to D.C., where her partner will be working. Alysa plans to start a private psychotherapy practice and find some part-time teaching opportunities. • Bruce Mendelsohn wrote, “In March, I left my position as director of communications for the Massachusetts Department of Youth Services. While I was fortunate to be productive during my 18 months working for the Commonwealth, the culture reflected the clientele; many staff were more concerned about ‘protecting their turf’ than working together to get stuff done. So I am once again seeking a full-time position in communications. Earlier this spring, I attended an NMH event in Boston to welcome the new head [of school] and enjoyed some libations with John Barkan ’88 and a couple other ’80s alums. Anne Bartfay Platzner came to a Memorial Day picnic we hosted at our house in Millbury. I’m fully healed from my ruptured left Achilles tendon; I am once again running, playing soccer, and biking. As always, I’m on Twitter (@brm90) and Instagram (@brucemendelsohn).” • Sarah Novotny Gedney lives Lafayette, La., with three kids (ages 20, 17, and 16). She’s a school counselor for grades K–2. Although Sarah loves her job, she enjoys summer break even more. Her oldest child is currently in Cape Town, South Africa, for an internship with Washington and Lee, where he’s now in his

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the Alumni Council’s Advancement Committee, and I roomed together in London. Jefferson Chickering drove down from Manchester, N.H., to visit his sister, KC Chickering ’84, and Aliina Laine. Jefferson is a CPA, and we had fun catching up and reminiscing about NMH and freshman year at Hillside! I met Brian Hargrove, the new head of school, and was impressed. He’s down-to-earth, and has “the head, heart, and hand.” Geoffrey Locke ’86 and Jabu Maphalala ’84 met up in Mandela Square, Sandton, Johannesburg, in May 2019.

junior year and majoring in economics. •

Jim Rymes made an epic 16-day trip to Reno,

Nev., for an antique truck show, driving his antique 1984 Autocar truck while pulling two 1966 trucks. His wife, Heather, and their kids flew out to Las Vegas and saw Celine Dion’s show. Jim shared, “The trip reminded me that we all need to get out and do the things we have always said we would, even if it’s on a smaller scale … dinner with friends, trips, vacations, etc.” • Buffa French is in full college-visit mode. They recently visited Amherst College and had dinner with me (Geoffrey Locke) in Northampton. Buffa and family are adjusting to Toronto, her kids miss New York City, and they’re enjoying their hometown team, the Raptors. Buffa was planning to visit her sister, Dee Dee French, and family during summer in Virginia at the family homestead. • Virginia Wasiuk Lay is thrilled to have been appointed associate circuit judge for the 21st Judicial Circuit in Missouri. • Laura Bauernfeind Wear and Will Wear have bought a house in Lincoln, Mass. They plan to invest more time in Will’s business, Cold Hill Studio, which manufactures housewares made from sustainable American hardwoods. Daughter Lily ’18, is at Trinity College, and Holliday ’20 is in her final year at NMH. • I recently visited Kendel Leet in Johannesburg, South Africa, where Kendel finished her fifth year working at the American International School of Johannesburg middle school. Kendel and I had dinner with Jabu Maphalala ’84, and later Jabu and I spent a full day touring Johannesburg. Jabu came to NMH from Soweto for a PG year and went on to four years at Amherst. After college, Jabu returned to Johannesburg and lives there with his wife and two adult children. • Lastly, I was at NMH for reunion as a member of the Alumni Council’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. We hosted two panels, one for alumni of color (“Our Stories”) and one for LGBTQ+ alumni (“Our Voices”). In addition, we hosted a Shabbat service. Ellen McCurtin ’85, who is also on

Northfield Mount Hermon Kit Gattis kitnmh@gmail.com www.facebook.com/nmh1987 website: nmh1987.org After my spring classes, exams, and performances were over and I survived another graduation at work, I filled the summer with musical theater classes, improv, circus, and dance. But as we read these notes in November, we’ll be thinking of family gatherings and the hopes of winter solstice. Last year, I jumped on the MoviePass, Sinomia, and AMC A-list bandwagon and have gone from seeing a movie or two a year to two a week. Last weekend, I saw all four films of War and Peace, including the Russian production from the 1960s. Here and now, this is the year many of us topple over that threshold known to the Romans as “L.” What a blessing to still be around and to enjoy the wisdom we have gained through experience. A toast to our classmates who are no longer with us. They live on in our memories. • John Bete is learning to play the guitar and looking for NMHers to play with on Cape Cod. His day gig is treating patients with painful conditions. He and wife Robin continue to attempt to direct his children in becoming thoughtful people; they seem to be on their way despite his mistakes. • Jason Dumont and Andrea Berry send their hellos from Massachusetts! Jason has been traveling throughout New England, mostly to further his love affair with craft breweries. Andrea is learning to like beer and has committed to this new venture, because on every outing Jason makes her laugh until she cries, pees, or both. They would love to host anyone stopping through Boston at their new pad in Somerville, so get in touch! • Christopher Ford has been busy preparing for a move to a new home (he’s still in metro Atlanta). He plans to slow things down a bit, travel, and enjoy life with the grands and family. • Christine Goepp and husband Todd moved from D.C. to Dummerston, Vt., last October, but she still works for the FCC as a communications lawyer. She loves being back in New England after nearly 30 years

away. She started a new garden from scratch and is spending a ridiculous amount of time painting, repairing, replacing, sanding, staining, clearing, sorting, and other new old-house things. Her grown sons are both still in the D.C. area, and her stepdaughter is at Mary Washington in Virginia. • Heather Johnston Delfi and her family are still located in the Miami area, but she and her husband, Jorge, are planning a move to the east Atlanta area in the spring of next year. Her three kids, Kyle, Hannah, and Nicholas, are all in college. Son Kyle will graduate with a civil engineering degree in spring of 2020. • Chuck Linton is doing well in Texas. His family just enjoyed their first cruise — four days to Cozumel. His daughters are now 10 and 12, going on 18. • In April, Melissa London hosted Maryn Wright Barrett once again for Boston Marathon weekend. They breakfasted on pancakes and supped on vast quantities of pesto pasta, so that Maryn

Northfield Mount Hermon Summer Session June 29 to August 3, 2019

Earn credits to advance in school. Build skills and accelerate academic progress. Sample boarding school life or come as a day student.

nmhschool.org/summer One Lamplighter Way, Mount Hermon, MA 01354 413-498-3290

summer_session@nmhschool.org

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David Pilliod ’87 (right) received an Outstanding Achievement Award for Research/Academia in 2019 from the Society for Range Management.

Proud parents Barbara Thomas ’88 and Timothy Wall celebrated their just-graduated son Connor Wall ’19 in May.

would be fully carbo-loaded for her 10th Boston Marathon. A month later, Melissa celebrated her 50th birthday and her wife Margo’s graduation from social work school, with Laura Longsworth and Ann Kim, in Mexico. They had a blast sampling delicious Oaxacan food and shopping up a storm. And yet a month after that, Melissa visited Asha Kilaru during Asha’s lightning-quick trip to Boston in mid-June. Melissa teaches middle school science in Brookline, Mass.. • Marc Nevins is excited to have two NMH legacy attendees, with Alec a junior and Jacob a freshman in 2019. Marc’s new dental office opened in the fall at Center Plaza in Boston. • David Pilliod won an outstanding achievement award for research/academia from the Society for Range Management at the 2019 Annual Meeting, Technical Training, and Trade Show. • Imran Qamar lives in Katy, Texas, with his beautiful wife and three daughters. Their son has moved out to go to college. Imran is a partner in the construction and real estate development firm. The year of the “5-0” is here, and Imran has been nostalgic, reaching out to old friends and catching up. He can’t wait for the next reunion, which is still three years away! I hope we have a new POTUS in the White House by then. Get out and vote, everyone! • Deedee Sullivan is still emotionally recovering from her birthday. She is also still deeply unhappy with the NMH students shrieking a line of “Jerusalem.” Is this the hill she is prepared to die on? Yes, yes, it is. • Geoff Weed is enjoying seeing all his peeps hitting 50. Getting ready for another senior in high school, a fifth-grader, and his Mainer starting her junior year at Bowdoin. Also, he is still missing his iPod from our 2007 reunion, if anyone has seen it. It was last seen in a golf cart, is white with a dial, and might be out of juice by now. • Luis del Valle is in Mendoza, Argentina, where he is attempting to breed Merbec — a new grape variety that will be a cross between Merlot and Malbec. • Jackie Greetham-Robbins Smith’s daughter, Julia, is

in her first year attending Oberlin College. • Elizabeth Wright O’Brien and her husband still live in Rhinebeck, N.Y., with their three sons: one is halfway through Maritime College studying marine environmental science, and meteorology and oceanography; one has entered the Henry C. Lee School of Forensic Science at the University of New Haven to study forensic chemistry; and one is still at home in his junior year of high school. Hard to believe that is the age Elizabeth was when she started at NMH! She is in her 25th year of teaching (currently kindergarten), and she enjoys sharing her love of reading with her littles, who spend far too much time with technology and not enough with actual books. • Mary-Beth Moylan is now the associate dean at McGeorge Law School in Sacramento, Calif. She has one kid in college and two in high school. Anyone traveling from the Bay Area to Lake Tahoe should stop in and say hi. • Will Sheats, living in Ohio, has had a tough year so far. His beloved wife, Gooch, was diagnosed with lymphoma last December. Chemotherapy has been over since May, but she is still on the path to recovery. • Please stay in touch via email and Facebook. Many classmates are planning mini reunions and other impromptu NMH gatherings. It won’t be long before it’s time for us to gather together again for another reunion!

NMH Magazine

Northfield Mount Hermon Anne Stemshorn George anastasia.s.george@gmail.com I report with a heavy heart that Carrie Helprin passed away on 6/10/19 after a battle with cancer. Sending love to her family and friends. • Alexander Brough lives in Bedford, Mass., and is a physician at a nearby emergency department. • Paul Caron serves on the City of Boston Commission of Disabilities Advisory Board, and was appointed by Mayor Martin J. Walsh. • Erin Teare Martin is a working mom of two in Milton, Mass., and added a beagle puppy to the mix two years ago. She continues to work at NPR, building

and supporting systems that distribute NPR and NPR-member station stories to digital platforms. She was excited to hear Michelle Boorstein on the Washington Post’s daily podcast. In spring, Erin hung out with the greatest dorm head and math teacher ever, Jeanne Rees, who was in the Boston area to visit her son and his wife. Porch sitting with Jeanne is a joy and Erin highly recommends it. If you want to porch sit in the Boston area, talk podcasts, or ask her about NPR One, direct message Erin on a non-Facebook platform. • Holly Hornor Cleary lives in Eliot, Maine, with her family. She had breakfast with Elizabeth Hall Olszewski ’87, spent time with Nate Beck and his family, and saw a bunch of NMHers at Extreme Beer Fest in February. • Barbara Thomas and her husband, Timothy Wall, celebrated their son, Connor Wall ’19, at the 136th Commencement of NMH, with Connor graduating cum laude. He wore a graduation sash celebrating his two heritages: Guyanese (Barbara) and American (Timothy). Many family and friends came out, including David Febus ’89 and Connor’s elementary-school principal, whose own son, Zakarias Gomes ’06, is an NMH alum! After graduation, the family spent eight days scuba diving the second-largest barrier reef on the planet, located in Roatán, Honduras. They did numerous kinds of dives and earned an advanced diving certification in Enriched Air Nitrox. Since her fifth reunion, Barbara has been giving back to NMH as a member of the Alumni Council, Class of ’88 Reunion Committee Chair, and as an NMH parent. She is excited to discover her next NMH niche. • Alberto Rodriguez moved to Denver three years ago when he was promoted and hired as district director for the Denver Area Council, Boy Scouts of America. He snowboards every weekend during the winter and hikes during the summer. • Jeffrey Epstein, our alumni Mouseketeer, had a mini reunion in April with Soomi Nahm and Mira Levinson in West Hollywood that was filled with margaritas and joy. In June, he caught up with Jessie Campbell Griffith, Amanda Gardner Elkin, and Barbara Thomas during his 24-hour trip to Boston, complete with margaritas again! He hit his 10-year mark at Disney and is still “as big a geek as the day I walked into the pixie-dusted place.” Jessie is preparing her own adventure as she trains for the Disney half marathon in January. • Tom Cecil continues to serve Uncle Sam as a naval aviator. He hasn’t thrown in the towel yet and is currently stationed at NAS Patuxent River, Md. He’s a proud parent of four wonderful kids, ranging in age from

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Making Moon Rocks Accessible Transdisciplinary artist Erika Blumenfeld ’90 has built a career connecting art and science and nature and culture. Most recently, her talents have landed her at NASA.

Photos: Mark Poucher, NASA / Astromaterials 3D

She leads a research project in which she creates 3D digital models of space rock samples in collaboration with NASA’s Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division (ARES). “I wanted to understand how we’re made of stars,” Blumenfeld says. She wanted to learn the science behind astronomer Carl Sagan’s famous statement that human beings come from “star stuff” — that the elements that make up our bodies were originally created by stars billions of years ago. Blumenfeld believes this elemental human connection to space can lead people to a deeper understanding of themselves. Studying space rocks is a tangible way to see these connections. “I see these rocks as a scroll of knowledge,” she says. They’re “inscribed with the stories of our cosmic heritage.” Blumenfeld and her team at NASA created the first 3-D model of the first Moon rock ever collected, and published it on the ARES website in honor of the Apollo 11 anniversary in July. They are building a series of digital images of 60 lunar and meteorite samples from NASA’s collection that will be accessible online to researchers, students, and the general public. Blumenfeld’s goal is to “put these rocks in the hands of the people, virtually” — inviting people to explore astromaterials and their scientific and cultural stories even as the actual samples remain locked away in secure NASA facilities. — Zoe Licata ’15

15 to 2! He’s looking forward to potentially drawing Social Security before his youngest leaves the household. • Kevin Fisher lives in Fredericksburg, Va., with his family. He teaches Spanish and recently got a local job in Stafford County. He has a son (8) and a daughter (14). Both kids are “crazy smart.” His daughter is a high school sophomore, plays varsity basketball, and took two college-level AP classes. Kevin will be leading a group of students and friends on a trip to Peru for summer 2020. If any of you are interested in going to Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca, contact me for Kevin’s email address. Kevin stays happy deer and turkey hunting, writing songs, and playing with his family. • Alison Stern Simard lives in Los Angeles, where she is the communications director for a Los Angeles City Council member. She is still serving on the board of Citizens for Los Angeles Wildlife (clawonline.org) — an environmental nonprofit she co-founded that works to protect and restore wildlife habitat and open space. Ali is also a delegate to the California Democratic Party. She attended the San Francisco Convention and was named the 2019 Eleanor Roosevelt Democrat of the Year for the 50th Assembly District by the Los Angeles County Democratic party. She, her husband, and two kids (15 and 10) love the Los Angeles life. • Sergio Kulikovsky took a sabbatical year in 2017 and sailed with his wife and four kids from São Paulo, Brazil, along the Pacific. They fell in

love with Sydney and have been living there ever since. • Steve Gauster and wife Kari continue to be amazed by their growing kids: Henry (18 months) and Eva (4). The family enjoyed joining other trustees at NMH’s Commencement and christening the fourseat girls’ crew shell Eva Belrupt Freyschlag, in honor of Steve’s great-aunt. • Julia Atkins apologizes for missing the last reunion (more Dogfish for the rest!). She is still in Golden, Colo., practicing family medicine. With a girl and a boy (11 and 14), Julia and her husband try keep up with them on the slopes every weekend in the winter, and the trails on mountain bikes the rest of the year. Julia caught up with Kris Fraser and Laura Griffis ’87 in the summer. Their families got together for a mini reunion when Laura was visiting from Trinidad. Gina Comai Surgenor came to the mountains with her family in March and they went skiing. Julia also keeps in touch with Sallie Cass-Pottle and wrote to her, “It’s been way too long since we have seen each other, so get your butt out to Colorado, Sal!” • Reid Jones is a chef at a vegetarian restaurant in Salem, Mass. He is ready for the next Pie Race and will be running at his “five-mile-per-hour dog trot.” • Thanks to everyone who submitted. I am sorry I have been M.I.A. I will try to get back into the swing of things. Please check out our Facebook group, NMH Class of 1988, started by the great August Danowski. There are a lot of great pictures and memories.

See Blumenfeld’s work at ares.jsc.nasa. gov/projects/astromaterials-3d.

Northfield Mount Hermon Chris Roof roofsound@comcast.net • John Carroll jcarroll@nmhschool.org • Caryn Crotty Eldridge slickcke7@gmail.com From Chris Roof: Our 30th reunion was a blast. Thanks to all who attended. And for those who couldn’t make it, know that you were ever-present in our thoughts and discussions. It was an amazing time … check out the ’89 Facebook page if you haven’t already, as there are lots of pictures, including a few parasol poses! • Jordan Serlin decided to make it a multi-week affair, driving to/from Florida and stopping in with many friends along the way. He was a great spirit, start to finish. • David Febus received an alumni citation to a cacophony of ’89 “FEBUS!” cheers. • John Carroll surprised those who were still awake late Friday night/early Saturday morning with a car full of Happy Meals. • I had the pleasure of riding in my fifth annual Pie Ride, this time joined by Nate Rono. Hopefully, we’ll make that an annual affair. • Mariah Draper Calagione and husband Sam Calagione ensured that everyone on campus was “hydrated,” and managed to dedicate a new boathouse to Mariah’s father in their spare time. Can’t wait to see it built! They even conjured up a mobile bar for everyone’s enjoyment. I was glad to see several people back on campus for the first time in years. •

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PR Gets a Makeover Courtesy of U.S. Doctors for Africa

Heather Burgett ’90 is on a mission to change how we see public relations. “PR has a negative stigma,” she says. “I’m putting publicity in a new light by coming at it from a heartcentered space” and helping clients “get in front of the people they are meant to serve.” Burgett runs her own agency — The Burgett Group — as well as an online coaching program called PR Stars, which guides spiritually-inspired entrepreneurs into the public eye. She says, “A lot of small businesses lack the budgets and confidence to pursue mainstream visibility simply because they don’t know the steps.” Burgett “fell into PR” in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she helped launch America Online as a consumer brand. She moved to Los Angeles to work as an entertainment publicist — the first movie she worked on was the breakout hit The Blair Witch Project — and at 28, started her own agency. Over the years, she has worked with clients such as the Beverly Hills Film Festival, U.S. president Barack Obama’s grandmother, Mama Sarah Obama, and on events featuring Sir Richard Branson, Madonna, and Steven Spielberg. Burgett also has a podcast called “The Shine Strategy,” which she describes as a “soul-fueled business show” that provides insight from entrepreneurs and celebrities on how to gain visibility and make an impact on the the world. Her guests have included Oscar-winning writer and producer Nick Vallelonga (Green Book), best-selling author and presidential candidate Marianne Williamson, “The Bachelor” star Nick Viall, and iconic comedian Bob Saget. — Zoe Licata ’15 Listen to Burgett’s podcast at podcast.theshinestrategy.com.

Gretchen Krans, back for the first time since graduation, noted she’s happy and feeling blessed, traveling as much as she can, working as a consultant, and taking care of her beloved handicapped sister. • Laura Bete said this reunion was by far her favorite: “Spending time with senior-year roomie, Erin Brennan, and her warm family; reconnecting with the wonderful women of Crossley (Nancy Banks, Elizabeth Bailey, Becky McNeil, and Sara Mills); special connection and conversations with people I wish I’d had the chance to get to know better back in the day; extending the reunion with Jordan Serlin and Kris Wyckoff; being locked out of C4, yet welcomed back into the fold in C5 by Malachi Weir and Kris; Sacred Space in the chapel; crazy fun karaoke moments; ‘flash card’ games with Jesse Bessett, David Higgins, Jordan, Malachi, Moh-An Teo, Kris, and young alumni who crashed our party; the Tent at Overtoun and that funky mix-o-music; the farm, the farm, the farm. connecting over barns, bees, and apple trees. The after-party fun amidst Mark’s tiki lights with Chris Roof, Nate Rono, Lyndon Estes, Mac Ritchey, Katie Clapp, Gretchen Krans, and the rest of the ’89 gang. Last, but not least, yoga and meditation in the early morning, in the dewy grass and sunshine, when everyone else was asleep. Thanks to all for a great reunion — looking forward to many more!” • Tyler Rust was recently recieved the first annual Teacher of Impact Award from Saint Mary’s College of California. This prestigious award is given “In honor of the 300 years of the educational legacy of Saint John Baptist de La Salle, the Patron Saint of Teachers and founder of the Christian Brothers; Saint

NMH Magazine

Mary’s College of California is pleased to present the Teacher of Impact Award to educators … who inspire students to embrace their talents, and to embark on a pathway of academic excellence.” Anyone who knows Tyler or has seen his work understands just how warranted this is.” • From Caryn: Katie Clapp Sonin repurposed her MotherShip Sonin into the ReunionMobile, driving Bethany Wood Beatty and myself to campus/ C5, where we immediately dropped our stuff and ran over to West Hall (oops, Alumni Hall) for lunch. From then until we left were constant hellos, hugs, and talks with many of our favourite people. We had a mini

Jordan Serlin ’89 prepared for the Pie Ride at reunion.

Marquand reunion with Bethany, Katie, Kara Seager, Kris Wyckoff, Gretchen Krans, Bridget Mooney, and myself; but so many were missing! Please come next time. Bethany is living in Stowe, Mass., with her husband and son, working in Boston (quite a commute!) and still running the Pie Race when it’s not at 8 a.m. Saturday morning. Katie is living in Arlington, Mass., with her husband and two daredevil sons, and spending a fair bit of time in the ER with the boys. It’s fair to say Kara is on the frontlines as she moved to San Diego and is teaching in a mainly-immigrant population school, where the kids don’t usually know English yet and have PTSD from the whole process. Kris is living in Hull, Mass. She brought along the ’89 memorabilia: She hung our old yearbook photos (complete with quotes), photos of us from school days and previous reunions, and a small section dedicated to those passed on. Bridget is in Erie, Penn., with her son and daughter. She’s principal of a charter school that educates troubled youths and helps them out of the judicial/care system. • Gretchen Goller came on Saturday evening. It was lovely to meet her husband. One of the special things about reunion is meeting people you didn’t know at NMH. I met Ethan Kline for the first time — we live not far from each other in London — which we managed to communicate to each other through jet lag, lack of sleep, and enough Dogfish Head (thanks, Mariah and Sam!) to sink a small ship. As always, Moh-An Teo, Malachi Weir, Mark Madieros, Mac Ritchey, Dave Febus, and Jesse Bessett make for a crazy off-balance fabulous time. • We got to hear about Rebecca Soulette’s twins

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who are keeping her very busy, and meet Gail Dolittle’s fiance. Eileen Williams and Larisa Mendez-Penate came as well from Marquand.

Northfield Mount Hermon Robbianne Mackin robbianne.mackin@gmail.com • Travis Lea travislea@gmail.com • Kristin Steele kaste@conncoll.edu • Toryn Kimberley Stewart torynk@yahoo.com David Arend relocated to Los Angeles in September 2018. During his first year in LA he performed with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and enjoyed success with an animated short film he coproduced and for which he scored the music. The film was awarded prizes at several film festivals and qualified for the 2019 Oscars. David recently played at a music and art festival called The Gathering, the brainchild of NMH classmate Travis Lea. David also performed in the world premiere of his first composition for orchestra at the Bellingham Festival of Music in Washington in July 2019. Additionally, he delivered a pre-concert lecture at the event. • Heather Burgett’s new podcast, “The Shine Strategy: Get Visible and Change the World,” is on all major podcasting platforms, including iTunes, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Play. Tune in and drop a rating and review! You can find it at podcast. theshinestrategy.com. • Thuan Nguyen spent the summer of 2019 traveling the world. Over two months, he and his family visited Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, Japan; Beijing; Hanoi and Hoi An, Vietnam; Siem Reap, Cambodia; Bangkok; Kigali, Rwanda; the Serengeti, Tanzania; Cairo; Athens; Lisbon, Portugal; and New York City. Thuan is still in emergency medicine, attending in a hospital in the Phoenix area. He is also the medical director for two local fire stations. His wife is general manager at the Phoenix branch of a multinational consulting firm. Their children, Reece and Davis, are in separate schools, as Reece began fifth grade at a charter school in Scottsdale while Davis remains at a Spanish-language immersion school. At Thanksgiving 2018, Thuan was fortunate in having David Ownby ’91 visit him in Phoenix. David is doing well as a professor at Towson State and, despite all the years, is easily recognizable.

Northfield Mount Hermon Dairo Moreno demoreno@post.harvard.edu • Blythe Asher asherblythe777@gmail.com

Northfield Mount Hermon Jennifer Sadula deVore devorejr@msn.com • Cate Steele Hartzell cate.hartzell@gmail.com • Leah Clarkson leah.clarkson@gmail.com • Gene Ehrbar geneehrbar@icloud.com From Gene Ehrbar: Barry Eidlin welcomed babies in both book and human form in 2018. In May 2018, his book, titled Labor and the Class Idea in the United States and Canada, was published by Cambridge University Press after more than a decade of gestation. It explains why labor unions are weaker in the United States than they are in Canada but haven’t always been that way. And in June 2018, his wife, Anne Quismorio, gave birth to baby Eva. Aside from the usual baby things, Eva has been accompanying her dad on his book tour, and even made a trip to Singapore to meet her uncle and his family in December. Eidlin is currently an assistant professor of sociology at McGill University in Montreal, although due to the fact that the Province of Quebec has a sane and decent welfare state, he was on parental leave in Los Angeles for the 2018–19 academic year to take care of Eva while her mom went back to work at her rheumatology practice in Covina, Calif. • Maicharia Weir Lytle’s daughter is now at NMH, class of 2021, and loving it! • My family and I have been in the Philadelphia area for two years, and I’ve settled into an exciting role on the product development team at Comcast, working on smart-home technology while thoroughly enjoying raising three boys and a puppy.

Northfield Mount Hermon Susannah Sprong Cahillane coloradocahillanes@mac.com

Northfield Mount Hermon Carol Koldis Foote carol.foote@gmail.com • Dan Furlong furlongtime@gmail.com

Northfield Mount Hermon Caroline Leonard carolinecleonard@gmail.com Hi, everyone — we are nearing our 25th reunion (June 5–7, 2020). I hope to see you all there. June is gorgeous in New England, and I hope you return for a trip down memory lane. • I had the pleasure of hearing from Amity Gann, who defended her Ph.D. dissertation in education (concentration in science and math education) in June! She will continue to teach future

science teachers in how to be equitable and responsive educators. Amity jokes that this is her third career; after being a scientist and teacher, this seemed like the next logical step! In the first month of her program in 2015, she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. For four years she managed to keep up with her studies and research despite going through chemo twice (totaling 11 months) after a recurrence last year. And she needed to recover from multiple surgeries. She collected all of her dissertation data while dealing with chemo. Amity wrote, “My first doctor told me to drop out of graduate school. I, being a stubborn so-and-so, refused and switched doctors. I am currently in a watchful waiting phase; I’m in a sort of undefined, murky land of inconclusive data and rare disease status. So instead of dwelling on the negative, I am enjoying my life and working hard to leave even a small mark in science teacher education. When I was at NMH, people kept telling me I should be a teacher. I wanted to be a scientist. Now I get to be both. I hope I get to do this for the next 40 years, but I’m deeply aware it could be much less.” • After 20 years of New York City life, Jocelyn Leary Lavallo has happily moved to Maine! She is still working in New York as a lawyer, building and financing renewable-energy projects. • Jake Kheel was married in May 2018 in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Kahlil Lozoraitis ’94 and Dan Furlong ’94 were in attendance. Jake and Mark Labouchere are developing an international program for high school students in the Dominican Republic. Jake says that the program will be “much like the trip to the Dominican Republic I participated in way back when” at NMH. He is also collaborating with Lisa Price ’76, who works at the Nature Conservancy in the Caribbean. • I heard from Nick Vada, who is living in Sacramento, Calif. He got married to M.J. in February 2019 in Tahoe during one of the biggest blizzards in California history. He also started a company called R&D Electric with a couple of partners. While visiting his mom’s house, Nick came across the NMH student leader guidebook and a yearbook supplement, and nostalgia set in!

Northfield Mount Hermon Patrick Davis patrickdavisknows@gmail.com

Northfield Mount Hermon Julia Cohen jmacleodcohen@gmail.com

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Northfield Mount Hermon Brian Pressman brainjpressman@gmail.com • Rachel Carfora rachelcarfora@gmail.com Dana Simmons-Greco and Ryan Vineyard are living in Brooklyn. Also living in Brooklyn are Carl Weber, wife Jennette, and their 18-month-old baby, Finn.

Northfield Mount Hermon Audrey Korte aekorte@cox.net • Melia Knowles-Coursin meliakc@gmail.com • Molly Loveday chefmollyloveday@gmail.com

Northfield Mount Hermon Rose Jackman Spurgin rosespurgin@gmail.com

Northfield Mount Hermon Josh Grubman joshuagrubman@gmail.com • Christopher A. Zissi christopher.zissi@gmail.com Lindsay Foreman-Murray completed her doctorate in special ed at Vanderbilt, and is now a tenure-track assistant professor of special education at Western Washington University. “Our second baby boy, Conrad, joined his brother Mac (3) on April 19; they are already thick as thieves.” Lindsay welcomes anyone to Bellingham, Wash., to “come visit and play in the tide pools and drink the IPAs; I am assured both are plentiful.” • Hannah Russin shared, “In 2017, the marketing and analytics startup I cofounded was acquired by Lyft. Post Lyft’s IPO in 2019, I moved to Boston to take a role as the chief marketing officer of a canine genetics company working to end preventable disease in dogs. I’m currently splitting time between the Bay Area and Boston. In my spare time,

I’m working on my cut shot for beach volleyball and spending time with my rescue pup, Matzah, who’s Pekingese and mini poodle.”

Northfield Mount Hermon Danielle Henry Beale dhbeale@gmail.com

Northfield Mount Hermon Dee Guo deedith@gmail.com

Northfield Mount Hermon Jamieson Baker jamieson.baker@gmail.com • Jane Lilly Warren janelillywarren@gmail.com • Daniela Frias daniela8_5@hotmail.com Dan Martignetti, Jr., along with his brother Anthony Martignetti ’09, is opening Faces Brewing Co. in Malden, Mass. The brewery is named after the defunct Faces Nightclub in Cambridge, which was founded by their father, Dan Martignetti, Sr. ’71. The brewery is slated to open by the end of 2019.

Northfield Mount Hermon Donnie Blackwell ptowndon@gmail.com • Arjun Pant arjunpant@gmail.com • Jingping Zhang jingping.ellen.zhang@gmail.com Tyler Wolf and his wife, Pernilla, moved to Sweden last year. “We are very happy here!” wrote Tyler. “Around the same time, I changed my career to work as an information designer. My work has appeared in some well-known publications since.”

Northfield Mount Hermon Ramon Guadalupe ramon.g2975@gmail.com • Collin Lever collinlever@gmail.com

Northfield Mount Hermon Dith Pamp dith.pamp@gmail.com From Dith Pamp: “Hello from Portland, Ore.! I recently had the pleasure of running into Tessa Gobbo ’09 at the Big O Roller Derby tournament in Eugene. Tessa skates with Boston Roller Derby and I skate with the Rose City Rollers (Portland). We had fun catching up, and I love receiving emails and messages from you with your updates. Please continue to send updates to me for publication.” • John Bleh and wife Rachel live in Fayston, Vt., with their now 18-month-old daughter, Hadley, and dog Scout. John is the communications director at Sugarbush Resort and Rachel works at Stowe High School. • Sheeren Herbert Demarais lives in Dallas, Texas, and works with the Department of Homeland Security. Sheeren and her husband, Brian, eloped in November 2018 after meeting on an airplane in the summer of 2016. • Corbin Ruiz lives in Brooklyn Center, Minn., and is currently working for U.S. Bank in their Treasury Management Direct Sales department. Corbin wrote, “Other than working, I have been shooting in a trap league, pheasant and deer hunting, attending mudding events, and racing mud trucks. I also spend my time shooting my shotgun outside of trap league and hunting; having bonfires with friends and family; going to country music concerts; spending time with my grandpa in Wisconsin on his lake; relaxing with my corgi (Cooper); camping; and enjoying life to the fullest.” • Sara Tower and her partner, Kalyan, live on their farm in Cummington, Mass., with 850 nut trees, nine ducks, and a cat. Sara said, “I also started working last fall at the Hilltown CDC, a rural economicdevelopment nonprofit. Had a great time at the NMH Farm and Food System Teach-In this year on May 10 [and] catching up with Becca Malloy, Chris Edler, Pauline Stevens, and Anna Stevens ’09. The 125th Sacred Concert was phenomenal this year, and I still enjoy singing with Sheila Heffernon’s adult chorus, the Da Camera Singers, in Amherst with Heather Blanchard Tower ’73.”

Andrew Clough ’03 and Amanda Rey married at the Bethel Center for the Performing Arts in May. NMH guests included (L–R) Ahrielle Cook ’03, Alison Falb ’03, Ross Jordan ’03, Denny Kennedy ’03, Andrew Clough ’03, Brendan Mysliwiec ’04, Jack Clough ’65, Ann Steiner Clough ’66, Liz Clough ’97, and Windsor Jordan ’03.

NMH Magazine

Northfield Mount Hermon Emily Jacke ejacke@middlebury.edu • Sarah-Anne Tanner tanner.sarahanne@gmail.com Rachel Koh moved back to the Pioneer Valley, is teaching engineering at Smith College, and hopes her cat will be Instagram-famous by the end of the year. • Jarad Weeks bought out his family’s tire business in Greenfield, continuing the legacy as a fourth-generation

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Shereen Herbert Demarais ’07 and her husband, Brian

family business! He also bought a house in Montague. If that weren’t enough, he’s also joined a really cool band called Matt Byrde; they just released their second album, available on iTunes and Spotify. • Ruby ThorneThomsen lives with her boyfriend, Anthony, in Montague, Mass., on a third-generation family farm with an orchard, three dogs, three rats, a snake, three hedgehogs, a pond full of tadpoles, horses next door, and a go-cart to bomb around the nearby trails. She’s working on her bachelor’s at Greenfield Community College, majoring in psychology, with a minor in addiction studies. She recently saw Martin Pyper Shedd ’07 and David Rowland. • Karissa Scano and Kacy Cox hoped to spend time with Kyle Cerutti in July at Lake George. • Sarah Heist is a math specialist with students in grades 4–6 at the Potomac School in McLean, Va., which she says has some NMH community feel! She keeps up with Erika Loomer, who is living in Manchester, Conn. • Emily Arena Czepiel is a special education teacher at an elementary school near NMH. • Nikki Rossetti is halfway through medical school and began clinical rotations at the Cleveland Clinic in July. Since she moved from Boston, she’s seen a few Hoggers in Ohio. Last year, I (Sarah-Anne Tanner) and Liz Donald ’07 visited Nikki in Cleveland and she caught up with Rohan Ott in Cincinnati. If you’re ever in Cleveland, please reach out to Nikki — she loves having guests! • Joe Charpentier reports that he has reached peak fatherhood and bought a minivan. And likes it! • Annamae Manning returned to the United States after several years in Iceland, and is living in Virginia. • Brooke Evans is working as a food database and nutrition specialist at Weight Watchers based in New York City. She works remotely, hoping to have some more time for traveling, catching up with friends (“holla at me”), and writing. • Tim Liponis works for a software company called Esri, based outside of Boston. At the time of writing, he and I were both training for the Cape Ann Triple Threat half marathon in Rockport, Maine. • Kayci

Wickline Neff had a baby! Charlotte Lynn was born on April 19, and is loved bunches by Kayci and her husband, Reggie. Kayci is spending her days with messy hair, wearing dirty clothes and baby vomit as perfume, but is very happy. Living in Northfield, she was planning to return to work as a hospital RN during the summer. • Maggie Higby continues to goof off in northern Vermont with fellow Hogger Tom Stearns ’93 at the organic seed company he started. When she’s not overseeing seed crops, she climbs Vermont’s peaks with her partner, Kurt, and their 9-year-old husky-shepherd mix. • Stephani Randall is living in Rhode Island, working at Hasbro helping the toy-making processes and having Nerf fights (“trying not to be too much of an adult”). • Maggie Field is living in Naples, Fla., with her golf pro fiancé, Aaron, and sleeping-and-eating pro puppy, Theo. She’s coming up on her seventh year working for Two Harbors Investment Corp. as their head of investor relations. • Eli Stiefel is enjoying living in Washington, D.C., and working at the Government Accountability Office. • Jane Kaminski Runyan and husband John-Paul moved to the southern Alleghenies region of Pennsylvania to live a rural life after several years in Pittsburgh. This spring, they tapped maple trees to make syrup and harvested asparagus from an old asparagus patch — both experiences reminded her of her workjob days on the NMH farm. She still loves riding bicycles for transportation and travel, and, although she hasn’t seen any NMHers, she often wonders if she has any classmates who are fellow cyclists. (Should we organize a scenic ’08 ride somewhere?) • Julianna Beecher splits her time between the Northeast Kingdom in Vermont, where her partner, dog, and favorite cheese are based, and New York City, where she’s at the New School for Social Research pursuing a master’s in anthropology and working in theater as a production manager. • Emily Jacke is still killing it at Earthjustice in Berkeley, Calif. • George Posner moved from Los Angeles to Chicago a year ago and has finished his first year at University of Chicago’s two-year M.B.A. program. He survived the winter and finals, and started sailing again on beautiful Lake Michigan. • Ben Weyers rescued a five-month-old lab/terrier mix named Zoey! He and his girlfriend, Molly, were planning a summer trip to Copenhagen and Sweden. • Gordon Burnett teaches chemistry in Worcester. He’d like to say that he took the summer off, but he had to finish classes to complete his master’s in science education. • Max Mazzone was promoted to lead engineer at the startup Cobu in Boston. He’s con-

tinued to enjoy many of the friendships he developed at NMH and always looks forward to connecting with fellow alumni. • Fontaine Burruss Natwick and her husband bought a house in downtown Raleigh, N.C., where she’s working as a micro-mobility planner. She is studying to take her AICP exam, a big deal if you’re an urban planner, and will be taking the exam in November. Her free time is spent chasing around her 2-year old daughter, bike riding, and enjoying stand-up paddle boarding when time allows. She had a visit from Abby Zelenka, which was wonderful, as always. • Ashleigh Casey Morris is pursuing a master’s in finance from Harvard. • Becky Gillig is enjoying fun employment and watched The Great British Bake Off so much that she started an Instagram account for her bakes. She reconnected with Ralph Craig and befriended his wife, Kelly. They’ve had some fun dinner parties, but more important, Ralph and Kelly help eat all the baked goods. • Jules Findlay has started his own theater company, Shakespeare Stage, which has performed Twelfth Night, The Complete History of America (Abridged), and The Tempest, which Jules produced, directed, and acted in; he also did the light, sound, and set design He’s performed in The Heroin Project at the Academy of Music, and won an award for a short film, Twenty Years to Say Hello. And he turned 30, which he reported is weird. • As for me (Sarah-Anne Tanner), I’m finishing my M.S. in speech-language pathology, and will be looking for speech therapy jobs in the fall. I signed up for a yearlong running challenge back in January, so I’m trying to only skip half or fewer of my training runs, and I’m rediscovering what reading for pleasure is like after three years of only reading textbooks. Take care, everybody!

Northfield Mount Hermon Daisy Letendre daisycletendre@gmail.com • Eshalla Merriam eshallamerriam@gmail.com • Pamela Chen pamchen13@gmail.com • Fayette Phillips fayettephillips@gmail.com • Anna Stevens annagstevens@gmail.com • Galen Anderson gjande01@syr.edu From Daisy Letendre: Nick Shaheen is currently starting a video production company while traveling in South America. He also wants to add that his yearbook quote was in jest: It wasn’t serious. • Gabriel Isserlis is now based in his hometown of London. He has recently started a tech startup named

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Tutti. It is essentially Airbnb but for creative workspaces, helping musicians, actors, dancers, and visual artists find spaces in which they can practice their art. Spaces can be anything: a church, a theater, a club, someone’s living room, and there is even a gym listed. He adds that “it’s an utterly insane journey with never-ending twists and turns and [was] the main reason I could not attend the 10-year anniversary, which I was very sad to miss. However, I hope to see fellow graduates in the not-too-distant future.” In late June, Charley Dickey ’10 visited Katy Stetson in San Francisco, where she’s lived for the past six years. She welcomes classmates and alums to reach out to her when and if they’re ever in the Bay Area. • Anthony Martignetti, along with his brother Dan Martignetti, Jr. ’04, is opening Faces Brewing Co. in Malden, Mass. The brewery is named after the defunct Faces Nightclub in Cambridge, which was founded by their father, Dan Martignetti, Sr. ’71. The brewery is slated to open by the end of the calendar year 2019. • This past June, we celebrated our 10-year reunion and had a great group of nearly 40 people, with classmates coming from as far as Germany (Wendy Tai), Egypt (Mo Eldib), and China (Lily Liu)! We enjoyed an amazing weekend on campus, spending time hanging by the river down at the docks, visiting the farm, learning about Friendly’s and Dogfish Head at “Sips and Scoops,” and participating in the NMH Alumni Row, NMH Pie Ride, and the Thousand Arrows Karaoke Party! Eshalla Merriam was presented with the Young Alumni Award at Alumni Convocation, and we even watched our senior-class movie down in the Tron Theater! We are already looking forward to the 15-year reunion, and encourage everyone to stay in touch via our class Instagram page (@nmh_2009)!

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Northfield Mount Hermon Eli Spector elishsp@gmail.com • Jed Kundl kundlj@gmail.com Erin Cromack completed a certification program in Teaching English as a Foreign Language. She will be using her TEFL certification to teach ESL during the summers at the Bement School, where she works as a dorm parent and coach, and serves as the communications and events coordinator. • Becca Daen’s musings from her last round of class notes are now a reality! She moved to Austin in July to begin work on her M.B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin. Her early plan, which likely will change, is to pursue work in education technology or corporate social

NMH Magazine

responsibility. Becca is excited for two years of BBQ and breakfast tacos! • Macey Thomas Lefebvre and Spencer Lefebvre are still living in North Carolina. Spencer is a corpsman in the Navy and Macey teaches at the local high school. Macey and Spencer welcomed Seelye Frederick into the world on June 26! Mother and son are doing well. One cool thing about their baby is how connected to NMH he will be; Darah Thomas ’08 and Emily Lefebvre ’11 are his aunts, and his uncles are Tanner Halkyard ’08, Weston Halkyard ’08, and Cade Halkyard ’11. They all celebrated at a baby shower with Erin Cromack, Fallon Winters, Ananda DiMartino, Jill Chaffee, and Tina Seretta. • Dante Santos has forsaken his corporate overlords and is going back to school to become a high-school physics teacher. Sorry, Ms. Hurley, he really loves levers. Dante also coaches choruses and barbershop quartets, and competes internationally with his chorus, Northwest Sound. If you find yourself in Seattle on a Wednesday night, he welcomes you to come visit a rehearsal!

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Northfield Mount Hermon Olivia Wolpe oliviawolpe@gmail.com

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Northfield Mount Hermon Parker Peltzer ppeltzer@gmx.com • Wilson Josephson josephsonw@carleton.edu

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Please send news to: nmhnotes@nmhschool.org

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Faculty&Staff Josie Rigby rigbyjosie48@gmail.com Sue Carey Clough retired from NMH after having worked for 19 years in the advancement office. She is enjoying her new life immensely. • Marv Kelley ’60 continues with his “second career” volunteering with nonprofit organizations in Greenfield. Marv retired in 2011 and, as so many people say, he’s never been busier. Marv and his wife Carol attended their oldest grandchild’s wedding in Warrenton, Va., in July. Seems like she was just a babe in arms a year or two ago! • Gayle Potter is enjoying her retirement in her new Vermont hometown and living close to her six grandchildren. She recently traveled to Ocean City, Md., for her 20th “annual girls’ spring fling” with longtime friends from her hometown in Rhode Island. • Jerry Reneau (aka retired “Anguish” teacher!) reports that it is pretty much the same story

as in recent years: lots of music-making. This includes singing in the Monadnock Chorus and with Music on Norway Pond; playing the organ three times a month; and taking an occasional voice lesson at Harvard University. Jerry enjoys puttering around the farm inside and out, is writing a lot, and will soon be sending a trial balloon to a couple of publishers. • Betty and Noel Stookey continue to split their time between Blue Hill, Maine, and Ojai, Calif. Noel is busy with concerts, some with Peter Yarrow, some solo. Betty is working on a new book, working with hospice patients, doing the occasional wedding or memorial service, working at a local food bank, swimming and exercising daily, staying in touch with family and friends, and generally being happy to be alive as she enters her 81st year! • Joan Vander Vliet ’48 has been living in Carleton Willard Village, a retirement community in Bedford, Mass., for over three years. Joan said that it is a lovely, caring community offering much to keep life active and vital! Moving from Greenfield

put some distance between home and NMH. Thank goodness for NMH’s website and, of course, NMH Magazine! • Josie Rigby (your scribe) continues to enjoy traveling with her husband, Robert, and bowling in three leagues every week. Josie and Robert, along with Deb Kolpa, joined a senior league a year or so ago — in this league, you are not old until you reach 100! Josie also volunteers at a food bank organized by NMH’s Kim Malcolm every month in Turners Falls. Jeanne and John Rees and Barbara Watson also volunteer at the food bank. Another volunteer job is at LifePath in Greenfield, in benefits counseling, where Josie often crosses paths with Barb Watson, John Rees, Marv Kelley, and former NMH staff members Carol Koldis Foote ’94 and Holly Holloway. • Spotted at Reunion 2019 were Jim and Penny Block, Lynn and Dick Kellom (class teachers for ’79), Carol and Nelson Lebo ’56, Carolyn Mann, Jeanne and John Rees, Jerry Reneau, Louise and Dick Schwingel.

IN MEMORIAM Janet “Bunny” Ball Longtime NMH employee Janet L. “Bunny” Ball, 66, died at home on April 3, 2019. She was born in Akron, Ohio, on Jan. 14, 1953, the daughter of Janet (McClellan) and Gerald LaCook. She graduated from Miami High School in Casstown, Ohio, in 1971. After moving to Massachusetts, she earned a degree in data technology from Greenfield Community College in 1974. Bunny joined NMH as a custodian in 1998 and retired in early 2019. During that time, she connected deeply with her coworkers and with the many workjob students whom she oversaw. “She understood why we’re here,” says former colleague Gail Doolittle ’89, assistant director of Plant Facilities. NMH “was more than just a job” for Bunny. “She cared so much about the students. She always paid attention to how they were doing.” Coby Shalam ’19 would agree. Bunny was the first workjob supervisor he met at NMH. “Seven a.m. in Bev — she made it not only bearable but fun. She was a great woman.” Olivia

Morrison ’19 added that Bunny “taught students how to be compassionate, disciplined, and to wear a smile while working hard — she truly embodied the head, heart, and hand.” Bunny was a member of the Moores Corner Church in Leverett, Massachusetts. She was a professional cake decorator for many years, and loved making wedding cakes and sweets for family and friends. As an avid outdoorswoman, she loved birdwatching, kayaking, camping, and snowshoeing. She also enjoyed riding motorcycles, country linedancing, and spending time with her family. Survivors include her parents, Janet and Steve Puffer of Shutesbury; her daughter, Emily Jillson ’95 of Athol; her son, Silas Ball of Leverett; and two grandchildren, Eric and Matthew Jillson of Athol.

In 2018, Bunny left this note for graduating seniors who lived in one of the NMH dorms where she worked.

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DEATHS

1991 Eva to Barry Eidlin and wife Anne Quismorio June 2018

1936 Priscilla Coffin Baxter 2/13/2019

2001 Conrad to Lindsay ForemanMurray and husband Scott April 19, 2019 2007 Hadley to John Bleh and wife Rachel June 28, 2018 2008 Charlotte Lynn to Kayci Wickline Neff and husband Reggie April 19, 2019 2010 Seelye Frederick to Macey Thomas Lefebvre and Spencer Lefebvre June 26, 2019

MARRIAGES 1965 Ellen Anthony to Marty Hassell June 2, 2019 1980 Ann Titcomb Loew to Pete Bechtel November 2018 2003 Andrew Clough to Amanda Rey May 11, 2019 2007 Sheeren Herbert Demarais to Brian Demarais November 2018

1937 Saisie Hibbard Pratt 12/31/2018 Survived by Steven Hibbard ’76, Shirley Hibbard Rosales ’81 1938 Eleanor Smith Brewer 2/24/2019 Barbara Sweeton Tuller 2/5/2019 Survived by Andrew Tuller ’03 1939 Catherine Adams Church 3/22/2015 Jean Kalt Field 4/9/2019

Dorothea Burnett Kirkham 7/25/2019 Charles Sanborn 5/24/2019 Survived by Ellen Richardson Frentzen ’01, Martha Richardson ’05 Virginia Guild Watkin 4/14/2019 1943 Allan Attwater 7/5/2019 Survived by Margery Attwater Mosher ’63, Marilyn Attwater Grant ’66, Meghan Grant ’98 Janet Bassett Gretzler 6/2/2019 Survived by Dianne Gretzler ’77

Richard Phipps 7/17/2019

Gladys Greenip Polhemus 3/11/2019

John Urban 2/7/2019

Silence Turnbull Roth 4/17/2019

Barbara Molander Warner 2/15/2019

1944 Frances Farnsworth Armstrong Date of death unknown Survived by Terry Westbrook ’71, Pamela French Kromm ’81

Duane Webster 6/10/2019 1941 John Colegrove 7/12/2016 Barbara Tyack Hull 5/20/2019 Survived by Hannah Beecher ’61

1942 Virginia Kerr Anderson 12/23/2017

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Cynthia Burrows Harvey 11/12/2018

1940 Sherman Katz 2/1/2019 Survived by Marjorie Katz ’69

Walter Wood 2/23/2017

Richard Barrows 5/2/2019 Survived by Ralph Barrows ’50, Dana Barrows ’69, Katie Barrows Chipps ’94

Ruth Homan Cort 12/14/2015 Edith Leonard Greene 8/30/2018 Survived by Anne C. Whitney ’47, Jane Leonard ’50 Polly White Phillips 5/17/2019 Milton Smith 1/7/2018

Frederick Sutherland 4/1/2018 Survived by Margaret Sutherland Warren ’41, Philip Walker ’42, Margaret Walker Wright ’44, John Chase ’67 1945 David Bayer 1/20/2019 Donald Krueger 7/8/2019 Carol Bengston Steuart 7/16/2019 Survived by Julianne Steuart Johnston ’71, Suzanne Thoburn ’73 1946 Joan Thompson Baker 2/12/2019 Joan Benson Ehrenbeck 12/27/2016 Survived by Carol Johnson Olson ’51 John Finlay 4/28/2019 Betty Milton Harris 5/17/2018 Howard Irwin 1/23/2019 Survived by Bobbe Mundhenk Carota ’41, Jenifer Goebel Adams ’67 Barbara Lowell Kluck 2/24/2019 Robert Whitney 2/2/2019 1947 Albert Anderson 5/29/2019 Survived by Anne Denisevich Anderson ’48, Marilla Guptil ’60 Louise Evans Bhadriah 1/29/2019 Doris Ingram Koepp 4/1/2019 A. Elizabeth McAlpine 5/10/2019

Meredith Cushman Ransohoff 6/25/2019 Survived by William Ransohoff ’10 1948 Nancy Lawrence Clark 10/25/2016 Survived by Katharine Remington Delventhal ’53, Gay Lawrence Woods ’55, Walter Crofut ’57, Diane Lawrence French ’69 Blake Smith 5/26/2019 1949 Patricia Cortez Berry 8/19/2018 Albert Dewey 5/27/2019 Joan Turner Hastings 3/15/2019 Donald Mayhew 2/5/2019 Barbara McAllister Naughton 4/17/2019 Elaine Mathewson Pereira 3/1/2019 Marilyn Vaughan Pierce 2/5/2019 1950 Josette Ray Crook 1/21/2019 Survived by Frances Smith-Merrill ’54, Harold Ray ’55, Charles Scanlan ’59, Frank Ray ’61 Philip Hahn 5/23/2019 Virginia Buys Hartwell 5/22/2019 Survived by Leigh Hansen ’71 Gail Lawrence Lerch 4/23/2019 Survived by Katharine Remington Delventhal ’53, Gay Lawrence Woods ’55, Walter Crofut ’57, Irene Crofut Roberts ’61, Diane Lawrence French ’69

VI TA L STATISTICS

Judith Myers Shinn 3/1/2019 Paul Stumpf 3/18/2019 James Titus 5/12/2019 1951 Hollis Harrington 6/11/2017 1952 Elizabeth Barrett-Connor 6/9/2019 Survived by Caroline L. Connor ’88 Muriel Hopkins Beahm 7/26/2019 Survived by Virginia Hopkins Hillegass ’50, Daniel Hopkins ’50 Barbara Hill Gallup 2/2/2019 Frederick Moorhouse 2/1/2017 Nancy Stewart Roberts 3/23/2019 Stephen Waters 4/5/2019 1953 John Cayward 5/2/2019 Survived by Marian Melby Abbott ’41 Mary Danforth Lozier 3/28/2019 1954 Gail Zickler Hnatiow 7/4/2019 Survived by Malcolm Zickler ’60, Ian Zickler ’87 Gerald Huckabee 11/10/2017 Survived by Quincy Huckabee ’52, Harlow Huckabee ’58 Anna Rand Lewis 5/28/2019 Carol Peterson Thompson 6/15/2019 Survived by Joan Peterson Bishop ’53

Xenia Vurgaropulos Wright 8/20/2010 1955 Carolyn Mayo Mansell 4/3/2018 Survived by Lucy Jackson DeMonchaux ’52, Jean Mayo Howell ’58 Robert Sargent 3/25/2019 Survived by Phillips Sargent ’64 1956 Allen Martin 6/19/2019 Survived by Richard Widmer ’86, Samuel Martin ’89 Dexter Morrill 7/2/2019 1957 John Hopkins 3/1/2017 Survived by Margaret Redmond Hopkins ’65 Paul Reyes 3/2019

Joanne Smolen Freeman ’70, Nancy Smolen Chase ’71, Elizabeth Maddern Brandenburg ’82, Linda Maddern Leduc ’85, Thomas Maddern ’88 1961 Edgar Ackerman 11/28/2017 Survived by Constance Ackerman Jamison ’57, Sarah Johnson Ackerman ’61, Peter Ackerman ’64, Caroline Jamison Branch ’82, Jennifer Ackerman Bannon ’85, Katherine Ackerman Hyland ’88 1962 Carolyn Gardiner Farrington 3/18/2019 William Hendrickson 7/16/2019 Survived by Joan Hendrickson Rogers ’56, Sarah Weden Zimmerman ’90 Henry Herrera 4/25/2019

John Spaeth 4/15/2019 Survived by John H. Spaeth ’89

Lee Lamphere 4/21/2019 Survived by Patricia Lamphere Gimbel ’60

Oliver Woshinsky 5/26/2019 Survived by Perry Hanson ’60, Timothy Hanson ’69

Philip Schub 1/17/2019

1959 Robert Adams 4/29/2019 Joy Sutton Collins 2/5/2019 Leslie Jay 12/20/2017 Survived by Barbara Fanning Jay ’59 1960 Susan Helbig Maddern 4/1/2019 Survived by Howard Spaulding ’42, Philip Maddern ’57, Robert Helbig ’58, Lance Jillson ’58, Gail Livernoise Noland ’60, James Smolen ’67,

1964 Elizabeth Peterson Ghaffari 3/20/2019 Survived by Marilyn Peterson Guarino ’67, Nancy Peterson Crovetti ’71, Hans Ghaffari ’82 1966 Constance Griffin 5/9/2019 Stephen Jones 3/1/2019 Survived by Thomas Jones ’69, Katherine Jones ’71, Tess Faller ’04 Peter Talmage 2/8/2019 Survived by Calvin Talmage ’78, Devers Talmage ’08

1969 Edward Flanagan 11/3/2017 Survived by Catherine Flanagan ’74 Laszlo Hamos 4/16/2019 Survived by Daniel Hamos ’13

FORMER FACULTY AND STAFF Janet Ball 4/3/2019 Survived by Emily Jillson ’95 Claudia Beardslee 3/17/2019 Survived by Claudia Istel ’71

John Mustone 6/15/2019

Luella C. Bergeron 3/3/2019

Jonathan Strongin 2/9/2019

Barbara Clark 4/30/2019 Survived by Thomas Clark ’75, Sherren Clark ’78, Catherine Clark Davis ’80

1970 John Martin 7/11/2019 Survived by Bradford Martin ’73 1975 Thomas Clark 2/8/2017 Survived by Sherren Clark ’78, Catherine Clark Davis ’80 John Giffin 5/17/2019 1976 Miles Maiden 2/5/2019 1977 Beth Bromley 5/25/2019

Inez Moore 4/23/1996 Elizabeth Resnick 3/26/2019 Robert Sandercock 5/17/2019 Survived by David Sandercock ’02 Constance Selanis 1/20/2019 Gregory Williams 5/16/2019

1979 Anne Blackwell Blaney Date of death unknown 1985 David Mitchell 6/22/2019 1987 Zafer Onor 3/4/2019 Survied by Ceylan Onor ’85 Julie Watson 4/11/2019 1988 Carrie Helprin 6/10/2019 1994 Jesse Stein 2/10/2019

FA L L 2 0 1 9

B Y PET ER W EI S ’ 7 8 , P’1 3 , ’ 2 1

HISTORY LESSON

The Things They Carried The lowly cafeteria tray — ubiquitous at NMH for more than 35 years, and not just in the dining hall. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, self-service food lines replaced Mount Hermon’s white-jacketed waiters and Northfield’s family-style dining. Almost immediately, students on both campuses discovered that the new trays they were using to carry their meals from serving line to table had another, less prosaic purpose: They made perfect sleds. The earliest models were fiberglass, and their smooth surface made them an outstanding choice for sliding down hills at great speeds. But those early trays were easily scratched and became targets for graffiti. The next generation of trays was made of plastic and

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had the disadvantage of a basket-weave pattern, which made them less streamlined as sleds. Fiberglass trays, like the one pictured above, returned in the mid-1980s, and fortunately had the preferred sliding qualities of the original model, enabling students to make hundreds — thousands? — of rapid, joyful descents. Sadly but sensibly, this particular snow sport came to an end in 2005, when dining services took the radical step of eliminating trays altogether. The change meant fewer dishes, which saved energy; it also reduced food waste, since students could no longer load a tray with more than they could eat. But getting from the top of Chapel Hill to the bottom? It would never be the same.

P H O T O : C H AT T M A N P H O T O G R A P H Y

GIVING BACK Eric Olander ’89

Shaping the Conversation CURRENT HOMETOWN: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam OCCUPATION: Media executive and co-founder of the China Africa Project (CAP), an independent multimedia digital resource with 1.3 million followers that reports on China’s engagement with Africa. “Journalism isn’t dying, it’s developing. This is a new form of journalism.” CONVERSATION STARTER: Olander first traveled to China in 1989, and to the Congo in 2005, and he witnessed the booming Chinese investment in Africa. “No one was talking about it.” So he did. ORIGIN STORY: He took Chinese at NMH and also hosted a WNMH show called Radio Slugs — “leaving a trail of slime wherever it’s heard.” It was a combination of music and current events, and when he overheard students talking about it at breakfast, he realized he had the power to shape conversation. “It’s been Chinese and broadcasting ever since.” GIVING HISTORY: $500 every year since graduation, even when he was unemployed. It’s a “no-brainer investment,” he says. “NMH did something meaningful and powerful for me.” MOODY-STYLE PARENTING: He’s teaching his son head-heart-and-hand values, and lessons he learned from NMH’s work program: “Regardless of who you were or where you were from, you worked like everyone else” and “stuff doesn’t magically appear or disappear.” LIGHTS OUT: “I’m 49 and still, when 10 p.m. rolls around, I think it’s the end of study hall.” Interview by Tara Jackson P’21, ’23

PHOTO: TANYA OLANDER

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